


Ghosts Around the Fire

by SargentCorn



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Canonical Character Death, Gen, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, Major Illness, Please Don't Kill Me, Tears, tb sucks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2019-12-26 02:29:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 21
Words: 40,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18273965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SargentCorn/pseuds/SargentCorn
Summary: Around the campfire, the fallen members of the Van der Linde are allow to observe the major events from Red Dead Redemption 2 to the end of 1.





	1. Headless Horseman

**Author's Note:**

> This idea has been bugging me for a while, so please enjoy if you can. Will update when I feel like an event is worth watching. So, some of the smaller ones will be left out or barely mentioned.

A dead man floating amongst a black sea was the best way Kieran Duffy could describe how he felt. Yet, at the same time, his body felt hollow and heavy as he laid there. With a soft groan, he allowed his tired eyes to open only to find himself staring into the gaze of Sean Maguire. A loud yelp exited his mouth and the former member of Dutch’s Boys stared at him arms crossed over his chest, and no bullet hole protruding from his head. The two observed the other, before Maguire finally piped up.

“I’m sorry about what happened to ya. That’s no way fer a man to die.” Kieran rubbed the back of his neck nervously while warily watching Sean.

“I… how?” The shyer of the two Irish men questioned, and Sean simply tilted his head before grabbing Kieran’s arms and pulling.

“Over ‘ere.” Sean guided him to where a campfire and where seven seats stood. Nervously plopping down, Kieran glanced at the fire, and watched as the flames swirled into a new image. The gang was cleaning up the bodies at Shady Dawn; his included. A whimper broke from his mouth, and he turned to Sean.

“How long have you been watching? What is this place, and who told you about it?” Kieran questioned, unable to stop the questions from pouring out of his mouth.

“Since them Grays shot me down. Shame Dutch and them didn’t burn their manor down too, but I think I can deal with the Braithwaite’s burned since they stole little Jack.” Sean rested his arms on his legs, and entwined his hands together. “As for this place, some feller in a nice three piece suit and top hat told me it was the campfire, and that the powers-that-be decided I could, and apparently some others of the gang,” Sean gestured at the empty five chairs around them. “Will be able to watch until otherwise directed. I have no idea what the fuck that’s supposed to mean, but we can’t leave. I know that much, I’ve already tried.” Sean fell quiet as they watched the gang go about their business, not spending much time to mourn Kieran. Not that they knew him well.

“I… see.” Kieran mumbled. Tears well up in his eyes as he watches Arthur move over to Branwen. The man slowly runs his hands through the horses mane before attaching a halter to the horse. Sliding onto his own horse, Arthur heads off towards the entrance, leading Branwen, stopping to speak to Javier.

“If anyone asks, I went into Saint Denis to sell Branwen. Get the horse into a good home.” Javier nods and waves the other outlaw off. Arthur’s thoughtfulness for his horse gets a small smile from Kieran. Sean glances at him, before speaking up again.

“Well, guess we should get comfortable, eh?” Swallowing, Kieran nods, and the two fall silent as they watch Arthur ride to Saint Denis.


	2. Ubran Pleasures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Urban Pleasures. I felt like the entire mission needed be typed for better flow. Please enjoy.

It’s a few days after the camp has been attacked that Dutch finally tells Arthur to meet him by the trolley station. “Alright, just let me finish doing this, and I’ll head out.” He replies setting down one of two sacks he’s moving. With a nod, Dutch and Lenny ride to Saint Denis leaving the pair watching Arthur resume his chore.

“Do… do you think they’ll make it out?” Kieran inquires nervously while glancing at the five other chairs gathered around them. Sean follows his gaze with a frown.

“Judging by these chairs, ‘d have to say, not everyone will.” The other Irish man replied, his tone unusually softer than normal. Sean rubs his fingers together as they watch Arthur mount his stallion, and head off to Saint Denis. Kieran fidgets in the silence before speaking up again.

“I hope… hope Mary-Beth makes it.” He admitted softly, and Sean’s head snapped up. Feeling the stare of the other man, Kieran feels fear crept up his spine as a cat like grin appears on Sean’s face.

“Oho, like little Mary-Beth did ya?” Sean gleefully questioned, and Kieran found himself bolting out of his chair.

“No-no!” He squeaked while edging away from the fire. Seeing his reaction, Sean started roaring with laughter making a flush flare up Kieran’s cheeks.

“Sit down you.” Sean spoke between laughs. “I won’t tease ya too much.” The younger man waved Kieran after he hesitated. A reculent sigh left Kieran’s mouth before he moved back over to his chair. As Kieran settled, they watched Arthur join Lenny and Dutch.

“There you are.” Dutch’s voice sounded as he moved towards Arthur. “Come on, keep walking. You’re late.”

“Couple of days here, and you’ve turned into a clock watching city boy.” The other outlaw replied amusement in his voice. “What’s the urgency?”

“We need to leave.” Dutch’s tone is harsh but firm as he turns to face his son placing a hand on his chest. “Forever. We’ve been doing well, making money, but for all of us to leave together we need enough for a boat.” Dutch pauses, glances around, then goes on. “Now I found a friendly ship captain, he’s willing to take us to Australia, or Tahiti. We just need to pay for passage, and give him money for land when we get there. No questions asked. We will disappear. Be reborn.” He glances over his shoulder. 

“Where the hell is Tahiti?” 

“South Pacific. An untouched paradise.”

“Who lives there?”

“Tahitians, I guess.” Sean and Kieran glance at each other from across the fire.

“Do..does Mister Van der Linde even know what he's doing?” Kieran nervously asked playing with his fingers.

“I don’t know.” They turn back to watch when Arthur speaks up again.

“We made a bit of money on that riverboat job, but not enough for us to leave and live peacefully.” Arthur responds as the three move over to hide behind a cart. “Where’s the rest coming from?”

Dutch jerks with his thumb. “In there.”

“So, we are robbing that place.” Arthur leans over to glance at the station.

“Well, I didn’t think we were fixing the plumbing. I don’t know if you have noticed but we’re on the clock. I reckon we have a few days before the Pinkertons show and then, well, we’re done. Now we need money.” Sean snorted.

“You’ve said that a lot, Dutch.” The man grumbled even though he knew he couldn’t be heard.

“Bronte said this place has got money.” The trio start putting on their masks, and Dutch takes out his pistols. “Come on.” Kicking open the door, Dutch shouted, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is a robbery! Behave and do I as tell you, and none of you will die. Annoy me, and you all will.” Moving towards where the teller was, Dutch went on, “Now, remember, we just want money. Don’t make us kill you.”

Arthur swiftly robs the three passengers in the building, before Dutch calls out to him to join him. “’ve got a bad feeling about this.” Sean muttered, as Lenny spoke that there was nothing in the room.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“Then get out here, and get ready for company. All of you,” Dutch turned to the three terrified people, “behave! We don’t want to hurt any of you. Mr. M, check the safe.” Grunting in response, Arthur points his gun at the worker who shakily opens it.

“I don’t think they keep much cash in there, sir.” 

“Open it!” Morgan growled in response, voice going low. Kieran shivered making Sean look at him.

“Not a pleasant tone ta hear from him, ain’t it?”

“N-no.” Arthur’s voice breaks them from their conversation.

“There’s almost nothing here!”

“There should be stacks of cash in there… he told us there was. Look again!”

“There’s no stacks. A few dollars and coins, that’s it.”

“Damn!”

“We got a problem.” Lenny speaks up. “There’s a ton of cops out there.” The trio gather before the doors as a cop shouts out order for them to surrender.

“That greasy son of a bitch!” spits out Dutch, anger lacing his voice. “He set us up.”  
“You think?!” Morgan snaps.

“This seem like a good time for sarcasm to you, Arthur?” The older outlaw snaps back.

“What are we going to do, gentlemen?” Lenny inquires as he joins the other two by the other door.

“Something… the trolley… the trolley!” Bursting out of the doors, he shouts, “Follow me gentleman!” The two younger outlaws shrug, but follow trusting their leader to get them out of this. Slipping onto the trolley, Dutch pushes the conductor out, and they hear Morgan shout out.

“Does this trolley go to Tahiti?”

“I hope so!” As the trolley lumbers on, Dutch resumes, “Alright, shoot us some space, boys!” Bullets fly as the trolley follows the rails slowly making it ways through it’s usual course. The Saint Denis police drop like flies as Arthur and Dutch easily dispatch a majority of the police, and Kieran feels his mouth drop open.

“I’m glad I never angered those two!” He says making Sean start laughing.

“They certainly would have used ya fer target practice!”

“Outside the saloon. Oh damn, we are really moving here. Arthur, slow us down! Slow this thing down.”

“I’ll try.” Jerking the levers, Arthur can only watch helplessly as sparks begin to fly. “Thing’s broke… hold on!” Unable to slow down, the trolley comes off the rails, and crashes into a passing wagon and straight into the metal fence of someone’s home. The trio slowly get up from their places with groans.

“Dutch…” Lenny calls out softly as the mentioned man slowly grips his head getting up.

“Are you okay, Dutch?” Arthur questions from the pile of wreckage he’s hiding behind.

“Sure, just about.”

“He’s fine.”

“Aw, shit.” Slipping past Arthur, Lenny shouts out positions as Arthur covers him. “We’re going to get out of here, okay?” Three more cops go down blood dripping from their heads.

“This is our chance to move! Let’s go.” The trio of outlaws sprint to the building on their left with Lenny leading. Ducking into the building, the shootout continues with more cops dropping like flies. They hear Arthur ask about Dutch’s health never losing focus on his targets. “I won’t lie. I’ve been better, son.” Sean and Kieran exchange glances, they had a very brief look at Dutch’s face when he had been getting up. Even with their view, it didn't look good.

“Lenny, you keep an eye on him.”

“Of course.” Another cop appears from the alley only to be downed by a bullet fast as he appears. “Shit, they’re in here too.”

“We can’t let them follow us!”

“This way, onto the street!” They move onto the new street only to find more cops waiting for them.

“Jesus!” starts Sean, disbelief coloring his voice. “How many damn cops does this city have?” Between the three outlaws, the two can already tell there’s body county of at least fifty, and it seems like waves of blue aren’t stopping.

“First the O'Driscolls jump us in camp, and now this. We need to wake up.”

“We’ll wake up once we get the hell out of here!”

Sean snorts. “If they get out of there.” It seems the city of Saint Denis has pulled their entire police force out for this. Each street is crawling with cops slowing the progress of the escaping outlaws. However to the pleasure of the outlaws, there’s an abandoned cart sitting on the street.

“Head for that wagon!” They scramble up, and Lenny snaps the reins pushing the horses forward.

“You okay, Dutch?” Lenny voices his concern.

“Took a real bang on the head back there. I’m seeing three of everything.” 

“That doesn’t sound good.” Kieran muttered, and Sean nodded his head in agreement.

“You just stay down, I’ll hold them off.” Dutch, of course, doesn’t listen to Arthur, and takes shots whenever he can. Turning up another street, Lenny comments on the fact that they don’t like they’re letting up. Citizens run in fright as they pass one of the smaller parks. More cops appear from corners and streets. Eventually, the group can see one of the exits to Saint Denis. “Head for the bridge!”

“Damn, they blocked the road.”

“Hold on, use this.” Dutch hands Lenny a stick of lit dynamite, who throws it at the blockade. With a steady aim, Arthur manages to shoot the stick of dynamite before any of the cops at the blockade can react. “We’re through!”

“You see any more?”

“Just keep going, kid.” mutters Dutch sounding exhausted.

“You okay back there?” Arthur questions again, and the other man waves him off.

“Don’t worry about me, just get us out of here.” Turning a corner, Lenny heads deeper into the swamp before finding a spot they can stop for a moment.

“Woo, I think we’re clear.”

“You know what, Dutch,” Arthur starts climbing off the wagon, “next time, let’s not damn discretion.”

“Seemed like a good lead.”

“I know, but…”

“Well, we made it thanks to you.” Dutch turns to Lenny.

“Don’t mention it.”

“You’re a good kid.”  
“Damn right, he is, Dutch!” Sean shouts startling Kieran again. Sean apologizes before speaking again, “Lenny’s a good man.”

“Ye-yeah.” Kieran smiled remembering the few moments he had actually spoken to Lenny, and how kind he had been.

“And we each got fifteen dollars.” Arthur hands over some money. “Oh, and a quarter. Don’t forget the quarter.”

“Shut up, Arthur.” Handing Lenny his share, Dutch turns back to Arthur. “He set us up. Played me like a yokel. Put the law on us. What did we do to him? What did I do to him?” He rants slipping off the back to move towards the front of the wagon.

“I guess he thinks he’s the king around here. He don’t want the likes of you.” Arthur joins Dutch by the front. “So, what are we doing next, Dutch?”

“We need money. One more decent take, and we’re gone. The bank is our best bet. Hosea agrees.” Dutch moves to climb up.

“Even after that?”

“Especially after that.” Dutch pauses. “I don’t feel so good.” The duo watching shares a look, something settling in their stomachs.

“Ah, you just got a bash on the head.” Arthur points out.

“Come on, I’m taking you back to camp.”

“Hey, you did real good there, Lenny, just wished it turned out better.”

“Can’t win them all.” He replies before snapping the reins and moving the horses forward. Arthur nods, and the pair in the wagon move off.

“Kieran, that was yer name right?”

“Ye-yeah.”

“Why do I get a bad feelin’ about that bash to the head Dutch took?”

“I… don’t know, but I’m getting it too.”


	3. Revenge is a dish best eaten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Revenge is a dish best eaten. I felt this chapter needed to be done purely for the fact Dutch drowns Bronte, and feeds him to the gator... God, I wish I was Bronte at that moment.

“That was the biggest gator ‘ve seen!” Sean exclaimed to Kieran eyes blown wide with shock. Kieran nodded furiously while slowly shrinking into himself. “Do ya think the others will encounter it on their way to Bronte’s mansion?”

“I ho-hope not. That would b-be a poor way to die.” With that said, they turned back to the fire when Bill spoke.

“So, Dutch… what’s Tahiti like anyhow?”

“I have no idea, but I heard it’s paradise.” Bill laughed.

“That’s what they said about the West, and look how that turned out.”

“It’s men…. like Mister Bronte… like Mister Cornwall… that ruined the West. That ruin everything.”

“So, there’s no folk like that in Tahiti?”

“There’s folk like that everywhere.But in Tahiti, to my understanding, folks feed them to sharks rather than make them kings.”

“That would be paradise.”

“Exactly.” Dutch turned when he heard the sound of footsteps. “Arthur, there you are. Come on.” He slipped into the skiff with the others following. “Thomas, let’s get going.” Said man pushed the boat away from the dock. Night descended as the skiff moved towards the mansion, and when they were a good distance away from Lakay’s dock, Dutch started laughing. “Hey, Bill, you were a sharpshooter in the cavalry weren’t you?”

“What?”

“When we get there, maybe you could help with the suppression fire.”

Offended, Bill turned around to face Dutch. “I never said I was no sharpshooter.”

“Oh, that’s right, w-what was it? The nation’s most loyal latrine digger wasn’t that it?” Arthur laughed from his spot behind Dutch.  
“Yeah, well, I fought, and I fought well.”

“So, you always tell us.”

“Taught me something you could with learning. Them Indians were savages.”

“Watch your mouth there boy. Watch it.” Dutch’s tone lowered slightly. Pointing at Bill, the leader of the gang went on, “Only type of savages in these parts are moonshine swelling, pompous, inbred locals.”

“Dutch, I saw things out there.” Bill defended.

“I don’t doubt you saw things, Bill, but your tiny little mind was too small to comprehend what you saw. What you saw was people who lost everything to savagery. The savagery of peasants, failures coming from Europe to some awful vengeance on God’s last creation.” They were sure Dutch would have gone on if not from Arthur speaking up.

“Interesting way you boys have preparing for a killing.”

“I’m sorry I wasted my life trying to teach you boys love you though I do.”

Arthur cleared his throat. “Well, leaving love aside,” He paused to cough a bit. “You think we got this?”

“Don’t you never leave love aside, Arthur. It’s all we got.” Silence fell as the group made their way to the shore, and unloaded silently creeping out to the walls after telling Thomas where to pick them up. “Come on, quick. Stay quiet.” The group climbed the walls silently entering the backyard.

“Lenny, Bill, you’re with me. Arthur, John you take the left side. If you see a shot, you take it. Okay? Good luck, gentlemen.”

“Arthur, let’s go.” The two brothers snuck over to the left side. “You see those two? Stay out of sight.” They crouched behind some stone structures, and Arthur raised his gun downing the two in quick succession. The others charged firing after hearing Arthur’s bullets fly through the air.

“We’re coming for you, Bronte! Send out everyone you got!” taunted Dutch as he fired his twin pistols. Both sides traded gun shots, but the Italians could not match the speed of Arthur and the others. Their numbers quickly dwindled as only a partial amount of the Dutch Van der Linde gang’s guns killed them. Kieran shifted in his seat still amazed by the skill of only five men over took a larger group — although most of the work was done by Dutch, Arthur, and John, the best guns in the group of outlaws. “You crossed the wrong man, Bronte!” A few more of the other side went down as Dutch ordered the others, “This is not over yet! Head to the house!”

“Shoot that lock, Arthur.” They gathered to the sides of the door as Arthur kicked the door open after shooting. His movements were swift as he easily shot the ambrushing men.

“Alright, let’s spread out. He’s hiding out somewhere.” Splitting up, the dead pair watched Arthur jog up the stairs dispatching the man attempting to kill him. 

“Lenny, keep that door covered.” Arthur order without stopping. John followed his older brother up.

“Bronte must be up there. Let’s go.” Busting down doors, the two brothers quickly searched through each room before they found themselves at the last room they hadn’t checked yet.

“John! In here.” Popping out of the bathtub, Bronte attempted fire at Arthur only to find his gun had jammed. Swearing in Italian, the man threw the pistol hitting John square in the face. Seeing this, Sean started roaring with laughter.

“I could watch that all day!” He giggled.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry friend. I, no, name your price! Name your price, every man have a price.” Bronte attempted to bargain, but when neither brother answered, the man surrendered quickly via John punching him in the face in retaliation.

“Should we kill him?” The younger brother inquired glancing at his older.

“Nah, let’s take him to Dutch.”

“You can carry him. I’m ain't touching that piece of shit.” John muttered as Arthur wandered over to the unconscious man. Easily sling Bronte over his shoulder, Arthur and John headed out of the room to join the others. Whistles sounded while the outlaws regrouped. The Saint Denis police had started to flood the building.  
“Come on, Morgan. We’re getting the hell out of here!” yelled Bill passing by the two. A reverse scene played out as the outlaws slaughtered the police with the same precision they had with Bronte’s men.

“Sorry, boys, no one’s going to jail today!” Two of Dutch’s bullets embedded themselves into two officers. Blood collected on the stone pathways with each body shot, and was trekked through the grassed with outlaw’s step.

“I kinda wish I could be there.” grumbled Sean from his stool folding his arms over his chest. Pouting, Sean was the perfect picture of an upset child that had been taken from the fun. “Damn Grays.” Kieran disagreed, but he didn’t dare to say anything in fear of angering the other man. Sean fell silent when the group arrived safely at Thomas’ skiff.

“Put him in the front.” Dutch ordered. “Bill, you help.” Bronte was dragged to the front of the skiff while Arthur and Dutch waited for Lenny to rejoin them. After Bronte had been placed in the front, everyone else boarded quickly. Thomas pushed off the dock, and the group was off with their hostage. Dutch patted Bronte awake after the skiff had been rowed some distance away. “Hey, big man.” He called. “We gonna ransom you, or what?”

“You’re pathetic.”

“Oh, I am?” Dutch adjusted himself a bit. “‘Cause from where I’m sitting, you’re the one deserving of pity my friend. All your men, all your money, it weren’t no match for a group of bumpkins.”

“You are nothing. You do nothing...” Bronte went on while they, alive and dead, watched as Dutch grew increasingly angry. “..And when the law catch up to you, you will die like nothing. I am this country. You... you... you are what people are running from.”

“I possess things you will never understand.” Bronte scoffed.

“You don’t even possess your own men.” Turning to the others, Bronte offered a thousand dollars to whoever killed Dutch, and set him free. There was a scoff from Sean who shook his head at the Italian. He, and Kieran, both knew it wasn’t going to happen. The people in this group were far too loyal to Dutch to consider it. Dean leaned towards Bronte with a dark smile when no one moved.

“What are you going to say now?”

“They are even bigger fools than you.”

“No doubt.”

“The law will find you. The dogs are already on their way!”

“Oh yeah. Oh, you’re right. You are so right.” Dutch crawled forward and gripped Bronte by the neck causing the other outlaws to glance at each other. “They are good at smelling filth, huh? So filth has got to be disposed of!” Dutch shouted shoving Bronte’s head into the water. Kieran inhaled sharply while staring at Sean who stared back. “Your friends the Pinkertons gonna come and rescue you? You repulsive little maggot!” The group in the boat watched in horror as Dutch Drowned Bronte before throwing the man’s body into the water, and towards a gator nearby. Blood trickled up moments later.

“Jesus!” John and Sean choursed, but John went on, “What part of your philosophy books cover feeding a feller to a goddamn alligator, Dutch?”

“The part that covers weakness,” breathed Dutch turning to John. “That part.”

“I don’t know.”

“Well I do!” Dutch snapped as he climbed onto the dock. “It ain’t nice, I know it, but it is us, or him. I figured it might as well be him.” As Dutch walked off, Arthur and John shared a look before staring back at water.

“Jesus!” Sean breathed as John walked off. “That… that was somethin’ else.” He turned to Kieran opposite of the fire. “I knew Dutch had his moments, but that… that…” Sean trailed off unable to finish.

“Ye-yeah. He sounded…. different, even to me.” Kieran shivered, and Sean agreed with a silent nod. There was something in the air, and the two could feel it


	4. Banking, The Old American Art

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Banking, The Old American Art, a mission I loathe, but needs to be done. I'll be skipping Guarma as I hate playing through that chapter, and would rather not write it. It will be mentioned eventually.

It’s another few days before the gang decides to start the Saint Denis bank robbery. Sean and Kieran are both nervous as they watch Arthur head into the mansion of Shady Belle. Hosea’s voice is loud and clear as he and Dutch are huddled over map of Saint Denis. “I’m telling you, Dutch, this is the way to do this job. The distraction will buy you all the time you need.” Arthur hovers in the door away waiting for his fathers to notice him.

There’s an inhale of breath before Dutch speaks. “I… don’t like it.”

“It’s the right plan. We’ve done the work. I’ve been in town looking, watching, and waiting. I’ve, I’ve, I’ve tested it as well as I can. It’s the right plan.”

“I know. I just…. Well between you and me, I’m nervous, I suppose, I suppose that’s it.” Sean’s brow furrows trying to remember the last knew Dutch had been nervous about a job. Hosea jerks back a little from the table.

“You’ve never been nervous, that’s been my job all these years.”

“I know.” A pause. “You’re sure?”

“Certain. Well, not certain it will be done, but certain it can be done. And certain this the only way I can see we can do it. I’ve time it out more than once.”

“Well, you’re the expert.” The conversation ends, and Arthur finally walks in after not being noticed.

“Gentlemen.” He greets the two as they glance up.

“Look, the bank,” Hosea points at it on the map, “Karen, Tilly, Abigail, I’ve sent them all. They all say the same thing. There’s no more than one armed guard. And the police, it’s a city, there are police, but as far as we can tell all the patrols will be going this way when Abigail and I cause the diversion,” He points to another section on the map, “and that’s the opportunity.” Dutch leans back as Hosea finishes.

“What do you think, Arthur?”

“Well, I don’t see we have a lot of choices. We linger around here, and we know we’re dead.”

“But the plan?”

“We got a decent bunch. We know how to fight.” Pointing at the map, Arthur observes that the city cops don’t seem all too tough. “As long as we move fast. I reckon doing it during the day, with a distraction. If that’s what Hosea is saying?” He gestures to the man. “It’s good as a plan as any.”

“I suppose it is.” Sean mutters head in hand. “But I have to agree with Dutch, I’m nervous. What about you, Kieran?”

Rubbing the back of his neck, he shrugs. “I don’t know too much about planning these sort of things, but I agree with you on feeling nervous about this.” Dutch’s voice breaks them from their conversation.

“I, I think I agree.”

“And we do it at night, and there’s the drama of just getting into the bank. Can’t do that silently. They’ll pick us off far easier.”

“I know, I’m just making sure.”

“Every plan is a good plan if we execute it properly. Every problem we had was because we did not execute properly. Even Blackwater from my understanding.”

“You’re right.” Standing up, he glances at Hosea then to Arthur. “Let’s rob this bastard. Everyone get some rest. We ride out in the morning. Look smart. Travel light.” Morning comes, and both Kieran and Sean feel nervous but hopeful as well.

“Do you think they’ll lose anyone in this?” Kieran gives the empty chairs a pointed stare.

“Possible. A large job like this could go wrong.” Sean mutters while they watch Arthur walk out in his finery.

“You go everything, Arthur?”

“Sure.”

“So, we rob ourselves a bank, and within six weeks we’re living life anew in a tropical idyll spending the last of our days as banana farmers?” Hosea comments climbing up the wagon he and Abigail are riding in with. “Let’s get out of this god forsaken place, and go rob ourselves a bank!” Cheers sound as the group heads out from Shady Belle. 

Dutch proclaims this is the last robbery that the gang ever has to do. There’s a mutter from John about them hearing that before, and Dutch snaps back about him having lost heart. There’s an argument between son and father about John’s outlook and the word ‘real’, and is only cut off by Micah asking when they were shipping out.

“As soon as we get a passage organized. Boat down to Argentina and another around the cape.”

“What about the money Blackwater? We’re just going to leave that behind?”

“Forget that. It’s gone. You all talk like it’s the only goddamn money in the world. We’re going to take that and more, take it from the people who take it from us. This isn’t some hick town, hundred dollar operation. This is a big city bank!”

“Right.” John chimes back in. “With security, guards, police.”

“Hosea has done his reconnaissance, we’ve been over this. The plan. One last time. Hosea and Abigail draw out the police, we go in calm and fast. John and Lenny, secure the front doors. Javier takes the side exit. Bill, Micah and Charles, control the crowd. Me and Arthur will deal with the bank manager and the vault. Got it?” There’s a chorus of yesses, and Dutch nods to himself. “Good. Alright, that’s enough talk. Let’s get this done.” Hosea shouts to let them go ahead, and Dutch does after asking how long they need. The group falls silent while riding after the rest of the group splits off.

Kieran shakes his head furiously. “There’s no way all of them are going to make it.” He mutters, something telling him that. Sean simply nods in agreement. Descending back into their own silence, they watch as the Lemoyne National Bank comes into view. Kieran shivers visibly. He can feel it in his bones that this isn’t going to end well, and he doesn’t know why. He can tell Sean still agrees with him on that front by the other Irish man’s expression.

The four riders gather in front of the bank while they wait for Hosea’s distaction. It’s not long until they hear a loud boom in the distance, and Dutch exclaims, “I love that Hosea!” Something about the way Dutch says the other man’s name causes Kieran’s brows to furrow, but he’s not sure why. The group surges forward before he can ask Sean, and within seconds they enter the bank. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is a hold up. Don’t do nothing stupid.” The terrified crowd is herded into the back room while Arthur and Dutch work on the vault. Arthur easily breaks through the first vault when John cries out.

“We’ve got trouble. Looks like the law!”

“Come on, let’s go.” The two rush from the back to one of the windows. The scene in front of them makes almost everyone’s heart stop.

“Come out, it’s over!” Milton shouts holding a gun to Hosea’s head. “Dutch, get out here! Get out here now!”

“No, no, no…” Sean mutters, and Kieran pulls his arms to his chest.

“Someone must have squealed.” Dutch growled.

“We should have never gone after Bronte, Dutch.”

“John is right on that one.” mutters Sean.

“Mr. Milton, let my friend go, or folks they are gonna get shot unnecessarily.”

“Your friend? Ha, why I do that?” They can see Arthur close his eyes a bit, while Dutch shouts back.

“Come on, Milton.” Dutch pleads.

“It’s over. No more bargains. No more deals.”

“Mr. Milton, this is America. You can always cut a deal.”

“I’ve given you enough chances.” The agent pushes Hosea who stumbles forward taking small steps. Sean and Kieran watch as Hosea’s expression changes as he turns to face Milton. A gunshot fires and Hosea crumbles to the ground.

“God damn it!” Arthur and Sean shout in unison.

“There’s your deal, Dutch.”

“Hosea…” The man whispers hurt flashing across his face. “Hosea! Goddamnit, kill those bastards!” Gunfire sounds while the dead outlaws turn to see Hosea lying not to far from the fire. Slowly the two rise, and make their way over. Kieran hovers back while Sean gently shakes Hosea’s shoulder.

“Ho..hosea?” He quietly asks watching the man’s brown eyes slowly blink open.  
“Sean?” The older outlaw turns to see Kieran hovering the back. “Kieran?” Sean helps the man stand while he glances around. “Where are we?” His gaze lands on the campfire showing the gunfight between the law and the gang. “What… how…?”

Sean gently leads him to the seats. “Some fella in a nice three piece suit told me when I got here we could watch the events unfold until otherwise.” Sean lets it sink in.

“You’ve been watching us since you died.” Hosea said brows furrowing while taking a seat. The gang has blasted a hole in the wall of the bank, and is climbing up a ladder to the roof tops. “And these other four seats are where four more will join us?” Sean confirms with a nod, and Hosea finds himself running a hand down his face, a sigh following. Another silence descends as Dutch informs Arthur that John has been arrested, and he couldn’t help.

“What you think?” inquires Dutch while Arthur glances around.

“I reckon me and Lenny try to find a way across the roofs so if you’ll cover us.”

“Sure, sure, go on!” Dutch waves the two off.

Barely a minute passes when Lenny goes down. “We can get across here!” He shouts not seeing the cops behind him. Blood spills from the younger man’s body.

“No, Lenny!” Arthur, Sean, and Hosea shout simultaneously. Quickly, Sean’s and Kieran’s head snap to where Lenny will appear while Hosea stares at the fire in shock. He had hoped and thought that Lenny would go far, but it was quickly dashed not long after he himself had been killed. He only turns to see Lenny on the ground after Sean calls his name.

“Sean? Where… where am I?” Lenny gets up confused. His eyes land on Hosea whose grimly sitting by the fire still. “Hosea!” The man breathes quickly moving over to the older outlaw.

“Lenny.” Hosea softly says. “I’m sorry.” He pats the seat next to him which Lenny takes. “We’re in an afterlife of sorts. We’ll explain once the gunfire calms down.” 

“Alright.” Another bout of silence descends as they watch the surviving group hide in a warehouse.

“I don’t believe it.” Dutch grumbles as each gang member hops through the window.

“They knew we were coming, just like your ferry job in Blackwater.” Arthur points at Micah.

“Ain’t nothing like that.” Micah spat back as the group heads into the warehouse. They find an empty room to hide in, and Bill questions what they’re going to do next.

“I don’t know, I don’t.” replies Dutch shutting a door. “This whole town is filled with cops.”

“Well, how long we going to stay here? A-a few hours?”

“We go back to camp they’re going to get everyone of us. I know they’re going to be watching the roads.” Dutch paces before stopping suddenly. “I got it, a boat.”

“What you mean?”

“We stay here till nightfall, then we sneak on down to the docks we get ourselves out of here.” Dutch pats Charles shoulder to move him off the chair as Micah questions where they’ll go. Hosea frowns watching the interaction, but says nothing. “Any place will do. That’s all I got. We leave, we lie low, we come back for the rest in a few weeks.”

“I’m guessing it’s that or we die out there right now.”

“Exactly! Now everybody,” Dutch stares at everyone, “calm down. I mean, look at us.”

Night falls while they tell Lenny where they are. Rubbing the back of his neck, Lenny sighs while the group starts to move. “It seems…” He waves his hand in the air unsure of what to say.

“Don’t worry, we understand.” Sean replies from his seat. With that said, they return to stare at the fire while the rest of the gang is crouched behind a train. Dutch and Arthur are trying to figure out what to do before Dutch slips into the train, Arthur following with the rest wait for their turn. It’s a slow crawl through the train as they doge Pinkerton patrols, but luck seems to favor the gang as no one is caught.

Eventually they find a group of three Pinkertons together, and they’re forced to stop. Neither Dutch nor Arthur are sure how to dodge this patrol, and Charles volunteers to lead them off.

“What are you talking about?”

“You heard what I said.” Charles moves from his spot and swiftly walks by the patrol who chase after him when he doesn’t answer their questions.

“That is one of the most beautiful acts I ever saw. Come on.” With patrol out of the way, the group moves to silently board a boat.

They’re crouched behind boxes when Arthur finally asks, “What now?”

“Well, at least we got some gold.”

“Sure. This boat ain’t going to Tahiti by any chance?”

“I don’t know. John, Lenny, Hosea… that wasn’t good.”

“I know. So, what we going to do now?” A cough startles the two before Dutch can answer. They watch as a crewman stares over the open sea.

“I guess I’m going to introduce myself to the Captain. Give him some of this gold to secure his silence, and find out where we’re heading. How do I look?”

“Like a shifty, no good killer on the run from the law.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” Dutch gets up, clears his throat. “Excuse me, sir!”

“Hey, who are you?”

“Forgive me, a stowaway. Can I see the Captain please? I come in peace.” Arthur shifts against the boxes, and sleeps.

“God, how can he do that?” Sean exclaims.

“Do what?” questions Lenny, one hand holding his head.

“Sleep anywhere. The man’s got a talent!” He gestured to Arthur sleeping.

“He’s always been that way.” Hosea answers, tone fond as he looks at his son. “He had to growing up on the streets before Dutch and I found him.” Rubbing his hands together, Hosea glances down a sense of sadness filling him. Lenny leans over and puts his hand on Hosea’s leg. “Thank you, Lenny. I… miss him, and Dutch.”

“I know how you feel.” The conversation would have continued had Dutch not appeared near Arthur.

“Well, it’s going to take a little more gold, but I think we’re gonna be okay.” Dutch moves to the railing, Arthur following. “This Captain, he is a fine feller. A New Englander from the Cape, the rest of the ship is Frenchmen. They’re headed down to the islands taking some Pennsylvania coal. Now, apparently we’re going to be able to slip ashore in Northern Cuba in a few days.”

“That so?”

“Apparently.”

“What are we gonna to do in Cuba, Dutch?”

“Hold up for a while, then hurry back gather up the rest of our family. At least we got some money now. Money, and loyalty. With that you can do whatever you please.”

“So, you reckon they’ll follow us to Cuba?”

“Like Colonel Waxman on a jolly? I highly doubt it. I reckon we hold ourselves to our ourselves and this is done and dusted.”

“Let’s hope so.”

Suddenly Micah speaks up, “I ain’t no sailor, but uh, that cloud look like good news to you?” He jerks his chin over the darkening clouds in the distance. The group, both alive and dead, stares.

“We’ll be fine. Captain said we’ll be going around it.”

“Storms like that can come in quick.” Kieran pipes up, and the other three stare. “Well, I, I mean, did you see some of the storms in the Heartlands? They came on real quick.” He squeaked making Hosea nod.

“He’s right on that one, but we’ll just have to see.”


	5. Fleeting Joy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fleeting Joy. Arthur reunites with the gang, and the dead watch Milton's attack. A small chapter, but a needed since you see more of Dutch's mind slip.

When Arthur rides to Lakay rejoining the gang, the four dead breathe a sigh of relief. It had been hell watching the events of Guarma: Arthur captured and tortured, Javier captured and tortured, Dutch strangling that old woman for seemingly no apparent reason, and Sean and Kieran telling them how Dutch had strangled Bronte seemingly enjoying it. Pearson calls out Arthur’s name, and Abigail runs to him to give him a hug as they watch on. “Who’s gotten back, I wonder. We’ve only been following Arthur most of this time.” Lenny comments watching Arthur head into the shack; another cough following the man. “He’s coughing again.” 

“Well, we’ll know here in a second.” Hosea replies twisting his hands together again. “Yeah, yeah.”

Sean pipes up, “He did that a couple times before they were stranded on Guarma.” Hosea and Lenny share a frown. It was worrisome for Arthur to be coughing seemingly out of nowhere as well. The conversation pauses however as Arthur greets everyone in the shack who is happy to see him. Micah hovers in the background they note, but no Bill, Javier or Dutch yet.

“Hey, Arthur, they got John.” Everyone leans forward hearing that.

“Yeah, he’s got arrested.” Sadie confirms.

“He ain’t hung yet?”

“Not yet, they moved him to Sisika. He’s been working on chain gang.” Arthur nods as Uncle hands him a plate, and time passes from day to night. The door opens to reveal Dutch who has a small smile on his face when he sees them all.

“Dutch. Dutch! They got John.”

“Okay, okay.” He moves to squeeze Abigail’s shoulder as he moves closer to the group. There’s a cry of ‘he’s back, he’s back’ while Dutch turns from Abigail to the gang. “How’d you folks find each other? What happened? Can… can someone get me a cup of coffee or something?”

“It was Mrs. Adler who saved us, Dutch.” Strauss says gesturing at the woman as he does. “After the robbery in Saint Denis, she got us away from camp before the Pinkertons turned up. Then Mrs. Adler and Mr. Smith drove away the degenerates that were living here.”

“Mrs. Adler, we owe you.” Dutch praises her, and there’s cheer from the people alive and dead.

“Mrs. Adler really stepped up, didn’t she?” Lenny questioned Hosea who nodded in agreement.

“That she did, that she did.” The cheers slowly fade, and Tilly finally speaks up.

“It’s been real hard, Dutch. We… we’ve been surviving, but only just. What we gonna do?”

“Things have been tough, there ain’t no doubt that.” Dutch agrees. “Trust me, I am gonna get us outta here. This ain’t over.” The moment Dutch finishes Micah speaks up about nothing of them wanting to hear about their adventures. Abigail snaps about being more escaping the hangman on their tail. There’s a brief argument between the two before she turns to Dutch.

“We buried Hosea, Dutch. Charlies and I stole his body from the law one night. Same with Lenny. We gave them a proper burial together.” Hosea’s features soften hearing that, and he and Lenny share a sad smile. The oldest outlaw’s heart twists with the pain of not being there for Dutch, but there’s nothing he can do now. The moment is quickly ruined by Bill suddenly barging through the door.

“Well, here you is. Well I asked everyone I could find and eventually someone knew.” He moves forward. “Said you fools were out here. Shit.. get me a drink or something.”

“Get your own damn drink!” Sadie snaps back, and Dutch inched forward.

“In our absence, Mrs. Adler here has been looking after things.” He hands Bill his coffee. “Now, sit down.” Just as Bill does, another voice calls out.

“This is Agent Milton with the Pinkerton Detective Agency.”

“Already?” Dutch, Hosea, Lenny, and Sean exclaim together.

“On behalf of Cornwall Kerosene and Tar, the United States government, and the Commonwealth of West Elizabeth we are here to arrest you.” Slowly the gang takes positions near the door and windows. The scene flickers to Milton speaking to another agent. “Give them to a count of five, then give them everything. Actually, let them have it.” Gunfire erupts striking the hut. Anger fills the four watching.

“They’re firing on the shack with Jack in there!” Kieran shouts shocked that Milton would do that. “He knows Jack is with him, right?”

“I think so.” Lenny frowns, before turning to Hosea. “Didn’t they see Jack with Arthur on that fishing trip near Horseshoe?”

“They did.” Hosea confirms while watching Sadie and Arthur crawl through the shack. Arthur shouts for everyone to stay down as he follows Sadie to another shack where they can flank the Pinkertons. Taking cover by the door, Arthur and Sadie listen to Milton screaming how he’d follow them, kill them, and enjoy doing it.

“This idiot is really starting to irritate me.” Arthur growls grabbing the repeater Sadie throws to him. Kicking the door open, the outlaw easily takes down a few Pinkertons. A firefight starts with Arthur and Sadie leading then the others joining. They push the first wave back, then Arthur jumps on the maxim gun to finish the rest. Bodies falls while the rest retreat from the use of the maxim gun on them.

Dutch walks out with Micah as another coughing fit overtakes Arthur. “There it is again. That coughing.” Lenny murmurs concerned.

“You saved us, Arthur.”

“Well, me and Bill and Sadie.” He gets through another coughing fit.

“You okay, son?”

“Sure.” It’s wheezed out a bit, and not as strong as it should be. Lenny shakes his head.

“I don’t like this. No offense, Hosea, but his coughing sounds far worse than yours did.”

“None taken, Lenny. You’re right. I… don’t like it either.” 

“What… what do we do, Dutch?” Arthur breathes out still sounding winded and wheezy.

“Clearly we need to leave. It’ll take them some time to regroup. Mr. Pearson, Miss Grimshaw, start packing up.” He turns to Javier. “You and Bill get outta here. Go scare off any scum still loitering about. We need a couple of days. Now! Please, gentlemen.”

“What next, Dutch?” Arthur asks again but now sounding a bit stronger.

“We just need some time, I just, I, I need some time. Now we can’t go east because then we’ll be in the ocean, so we’re gonna have to go north, I guess? I just need someone to buy me,” Dutch pounds his hand against the wood, “goddamn time, one of you.”

“He sounds lost.” Sean comments glancing at Hosea.

“He does.” Running his hands through his silver locks, Hosea sighs as Micah speaks up about Dutch figuring it out.

“What are you gonna do about John, Dutch?”

“John?”

“He’s in jail.”

“W-w-we’ll get him, Abigail. Just not, not yet.” Dutch tries to soothe Abigail but it doesn’t work.

“There’s talk of hanging of him.” Dutch scoffs and waves her off saying it’s not going to come to it.

“Didn’t, uh, didn’t Mister Van der Linde try and push Arthur into getting Micah as soon as possible when he was jailed in Strawberry?” Kieran meekly questions.

“He did.” Hosea’s tone is flat as he says it. Tension fills the watching dead as Abigail asks for Arthur and Sadie to get him. Sadie agrees, and rides off while Arthur stays behind to gather his stuff and rest. He’ll join her soon.

“Now what?” Sean asks.

“Now we wait.”


	6. A Fork in the Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Fork in the Road, I'm here to break all your hearts on Mother's Day. Short chapter, and a high focus on Hosea for obvious reasons.

The next day they watch as Arthur slips into the saddle. He’s going to meet with Sadie first before heading up North with Charlies to scout out a new location. They have a couple of days at best before the gang needs to move again. The silent crowd shifts as Arthur leads his horse past the hitching posts.

Nodding at Bill, Arthur kicks his horse into a trot crossing through the swamps. It feels like there’s something in his chest clawing at him, and he doesn’t know what. Perhaps it’s something he picked up at Guarma, but he can’t follow through with it right now. He’s gotta get everyone moved, settled, and find out if John’s still alive in Sisika. Houses and businesses pass him, and people stroll down the sidewalks. Saint Denis is awake, and so is the hidden monster in his chest. Another cough racks his body forcing him to stop his horse.

“Again.” Lenny mumbles, and worry passes through the group watching. That worry turns into fear as Arthur slips from his horse into a coughing fit that ends with him collapsing onto the ground. “Arthur!”

“What is wrong with him?” Sean exclaimed leaning forward. Fear paints the expression of each dead outlaw, and more so on Hosea. People stay away from the collapsed Arthur save for a lone soul who urges him to get up. Pulls at Arthur’s arm trying to slide him off the street.

“Mister!” It sounds distant to their ears, and they all glance at each when they realize they’re hearing it from Arthur’s view. The view fades to black before appearing as a hazy mess. “Mister, are you okay?” A hand waves in front of Arthur’s face. “Mister, are you okay?” The stranger tries again. “Are you okay, mister?” The scene blinks in and out again; another cough following. “Mister, you don’t look so good. Let’s get you to a doctor.” The stranger pulls Arthur up, and Hosea twists his hands together. Worry is coming off him in waves because there’s nothing he can do to help his son. Lenny’s hand moves over to his shoulder, and squeezes. The other man doesn’t say anything which Hosea is glad for.

The scene flickers between darkness and Arthur stumbling towards the stranger. The stranger urges Arthur forward who has to pause to cough again. “Give me a minute, give me a minute.” He rasps out before coughing, and this time blood comes out.

“Oh, no.” Lenny breathes, and everyone goes tense. “That’s, that’s not good.” Sorrow fills Hosea’s chest as he sees his son cough up more blood. Pressing a hand to his mouth, Hosea breathes in and out. Arthur stumbles through the door.

“Doctor, I need a doctor.” He speaks to the secretary who rings for the doctor. His breathing is coming in wheezing as he leans against the wall. The doctor exits his exam room, and urges Arthur through the door.

“Mister, I need some help.”

“So, it seems, and that’s Dr. Mister to you.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I was joking.” Arthur collapses into the chair; he looks utterly horrible. “Look, friend, I don’t mean nothing, you got money?” Arthur just looks at him. “I mean before I start treating you ‘cause I got a family.”

“Yeah, I understand.” Arthur groans grabbing some cash from his pocket. “Here, will that do you?”

“Sure, thank you.” Pocketing the cash, the doctor drags a stool over to Arthur. “Now, what’s wrong. I mean, what appears to be the symptoms?”

“Well, I think you’ve heard them. I’m, I’m coughing.”

“Is there any blood?”

“Sometimes.”

“Okay, now here.” The doctor places a stethoscope against Arthur’s chest. “Breathe. Again.” Setting the stethoscope on the table, he reaches for something else. “Let me see your tongue. Now say ‘ah.’” Arthur opens his mouth letting the doctor inspect it. The doctor pulls away after a second, and heads over to the sink.

Leaning forward, which the four dead do as well, Arthur questions, “What is it?”

“It’s not good news.”

“Well, I guessed that.”

“You got tuberculosis.” The doctor announced as he finished cleaning his hands. Shock fell over Arthur, and the four dead. “I’m really sorry for you, son, it’s a hell of a thing.

“No, no, no.” Hosea whispers fear curling up his spine. Panic fills his chest as he watches the expression fall on his son’s face. Arthur’s going to die by TB, and there’s nothing he, or Arthur, can do about it. Hosea feels his breathing grow quicker.

“Well, what you mean?”

“You’re real sick, you… it’s a progressive disease. You’ll be…” The doctor pauses and then starts over. “The best thing is rest and getting somewhere warm and dry, and taking it easy. Now, is that possible?”

“Sure, I can just take my winters in my country club in California. No, it’s not possible!” Another cough shivers its way from Arthur’s chest making Hosea flinch.

“Well, like I said, I’m real sorry.”

“Yeah, well.” Arthur mutters as he slowly sits up from the chair. The doctor waves his hand.

“Now w-wait, wait.” He gently sits Arthur back into the chair before moving over to a cabinet. Pulling out a syringe, he flicked it as he came back to Arthur. “Let me get you a little more energy today.” He injects Arthur with it, and allows him to move off. 

A yellow glow surrounds the edges of the scene when Arthur exits the office. No one seems to be in sight as Arthur stumbles out. There’s a choked sob from Hosea, and the others don’t bring it up even though they look at him in worry. 

Ethereal voices sound out as Arthur walks directionless. _“We can’t change what’s done, we can only move on.” Arthur’s voice echoes first._

Another man’s voice echoes seconds later. _“You have it in you, I can tell.”_

 _“He didn’t have a choice. He was good and he did good.”_ A woman’s voice spat out in the echoes.

As Arthur stops at the end of a street, they watch a buck trot by, stop, look at Arthur, and then sprint off. Arthur merely followed it with his gaze standing there at the end of the street. Color begins to come back, and Hosea can no longer hold back the sobs. Arthur is dying. The fact of it hits him harder than the gunshot that ended his life. Hosea had hoped that Arthur would get out the fading gang, and live as best of a life as he could, but that was taken from him in the form of tuberculous. Hosea’s hands move to his face as more sobs rack his own body. Arthur would be one of the last three to join them; it was only a matter of when.


	7. That's Murfree Country

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The start of Chapter 6, and a new death. I will be doing 8 missions from chapter 6, and no more than that. I won't be doing Colm's hanging as I won't to focus more on the gang breaking, and a little on the Indian vs US government conflict that happens in Chapter 6. Not to mention watching the cutscenes, especially chapter 6, over and over to get the scene perfect wears me out. So I apologize if you were looking forward to seeing Kieran's reaction to that, but I don't think it's a main event of Chapter 6. On another note, sorry Molly you deserved so much better than the end part of this chapter. And it's never been confirmed who ratted on them during the bank robbery.

When Arthur returns to Lakay, they find Dutch muttering chess moves to himself. The three with him turn their gazes to him, and all he can do is a halfhearted shrug. He wants to be down there, to be with Dutch, their sons, and the rest of the gang, but Milton had stopped that. And now Hosea couldn’t be with them, to soothe Dutch’s more wild side. Arthur stops behind Dutch before quietly asking if he’s alright.

“Working it all out. Once and for all, Arthur.” Dutch spits out. Leaning against the railing, Arthur tilts his head before asking what they were doing next. “We’re back, and I’m sitting here and I contemplating the great journey of the sun and considering a famous chess move. Those oily enactors of a mediocre justice the Pinkertons and their benefactor the depressing millionaire Leviticus Cornwall they want us, Arthur. They want us, and they are going to have us.”

“Well maybe they ain’t the problem.”

“Meaning?”

“I don’t know, it’s just, well, I can’t help but feel like we would’ve been running some place else.” There’s a bark of laughter from Dutch.

“But the, the game ain’t over, Arthur.”

“What the hell is he talking about?” Sean mutters to Lenny. He doesn’t want to turn the question to Hosea as they all can see the man is still deeply upset from the tuberculous diagnosis. Lenny looks to him before shrugging unable to answer.

“I mean I ain’t, I ain’t played my final move, but…” He would have continued if not for Arthur interrupting.

“I guess I’m more interested in saving lives than winning at chess.” 

“Then maybe life ain’t such a thing to cling onto so tightly.”

“No doubt. What about the women?” Arthur asks.

“You sound like,” Dutch pauses before shuddering out, “Hosea. I miss… him.” A pain shoots through Hosea’s heart hearing Dutch; he deeply misses the other man as well. Arthur shrugs off what Dutch says, and Hosea knows it’s Arthur’s way of dealing with the loss.

“I asked you a question.”

“What do you think?”

“We can’t stay here. That much is obvious. Where we going to run off too? I mean they chased us from the west, they chased us over the mountains, they ran us into the sea.”

“Arthur, do you have my back?” Dutch suddenly asks making Hosea frown.

“Always, Dutch, but there’s more than your back to worry about. We need more money.” Pointing at Dutch, he goes on, “We’ve been on the run for months now, and I seen you,” He gets closer to Dutch, poking a sleeping bear. “Killing folk in cold blood like you always told me not to.” The man gets up from the chair and moves to the railing. “And I’m sorry but I can’t help but think that if we--”

“There is country in Roanoke Ridge, past Butcher’s Creek, I believe we could hold. You and Charles could take folks up that way. Micah and I need to do some reconnaissance. I ain’t got a final plan yet. Arthur, I ain’t got…” Dutch pauses, scratches the thought, “I just need time. I need time, and no traitors.” The conversation ends with Arthur backing away from Dutch who returns to his seat. They watch Arthur stalk off to Charles to ask the man if he’ll ride with him, Charles agrees following Arthur to the horses.

“Where we headed?”

“Up past Butcher’s Creek.”

“That’s Murfree Brood Country.” Charles notes.

“That’s why I’m asking you to ride with me.”

“I understand. What are we doing there?”

“We’re looking for a place to hole up… even the law won’t follow us up there too willingly.” 

“Yeah. I did some scouting up there while you boys were away.”

“And?”

“You’ll see.” Charles pushes Taima forward. “I know the way. Follow me.”

“We need to get this done fast. The Pinkertons will have reinforced in another day or two.” Riding out from Lakay, they hear Charles hum his agreement before he inquires.

“It’s quite a ride up there. I saw some canoes near the bridge up river which would take us right up to Butcher’s Creek. Might be quicker.” Arthur takes a quiet shuddering breath.

“I’d… prefer to ride this time, Charles.” Hosea lets out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. At the very lest, Arthur was saving some of his energy, even if it wasn’t a lot. The conversation continues, but Hosea can’t bring himself to listen to hard, and he trusts to the others to repeat had been said. The ride to Butcher’s Creek is long, but they watch regardless. Arthur and Charles converse about Charles helping the Indians at the reservation, and some caves that the locals say the Murfree Brood hides in. But Charles mentions it’s a good place for them to hide as the law won’t even come near; warns Arthur to be ready for the sight, it won’t be pretty.

The ride to the cave seems long and short at the same time. The pair slow their horses when they see light up ahead. Two Murfrees are heading up a small road. Slowly Arthur takes the bow from his back, knocks an arrow, and fires hitting one of them in the head while a tomahawk from Charles gets the other. Making their way up a small hill, Arthur pulls out his binoculars to scout out the cave.

“Jesus.” Arthur mutters when he sees the grisly sight scattered before the caves. The dead shudder at the sight as well.

“That’s… I don’t even have words for that.” Lenny grumbles shaking his head. No more words are spoken, and they watch Arthur and Charles decide to sneak through the caves and take out the Brood through stealth. Slowly the pair of killers descend through the cave killing silently as best as they can. Halfway through the cave, a woman’s scream echoes causing Charles and Arthur to share a look before throwing away all stealth. Swiftly they kill the group surrounding a dead man’s body, and Arthur holsters his guns while trying to calm down the caged woman.

“It’s okay, miss. We ain’t gonna hurt you.” Arthur taking out his knife to cut the ropes causes the woman to start into a screaming fit. The blade slashes through the rope, and Arthur holds out his hands. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Shh. Shh.” Pulling the woman into a hug, Arthur tells her she’s safe, and gently urges her from the cage. They lead the woman outside while discussing where to take her, and Arthur gestures to his horse. “Miss, you okay to ride on my horse a little? I’ll keep you safe.” The woman agrees, and Arthur helps her up before heading to Annesburg, trying to soothe the woman. She calms down when they arrive at the small mining town.

When the two arrive at her home, Arthur turns away the money her mother offers him. “You just keep her warm and safe.” He knows, and the dead knows, there’s no reason for him to keep the money. Arthur will have no use for it eventually. Climbing down the steps, surprise comes over his face seeing the woman before him, and he inquires, “Mrs. Downes?”

“Oh no. You leave me alone.” She hisses before heading into the building cutting the man she was taking off. Glaring at Arthur, the man spits out a thanks before stomping off. Sighing, Arthur shakes his head before heading out.

“Who was that?” Sean pipes up.

“I think I overheard Arthur and Strauss talk about a Mister Downes near Valentine. A debtor. Arthur said he was almost dead when he got there.” Lenny pauses, his face twists. “Wait, Strauss said he died sometime after we moved to Clemonts Point. Do… do you think it’s possible that Mr. Downes had… you know.. Tuberculosis?” Shyly, Lenny glances over to Hosea.

“It’s… possible, but we won’t know till… till Arthur gets here.” Hosea breathes out the last part. He still can’t believe his son is dying from such an illness, but neither can he deny the evidence so clearly in front of him. Rubbing his face, silence descends over them when Arthur arrives at the cave heading straight for Dutch.

“How you get on?”

“Found a girl, took her home. You and Micah find anything?”

"Maybe... I think maybe, I found our old friend Mister Cornwall.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, he’s buying a stake in the mine in Annesburg.”

“Relentlessly ambitious fellow, isn’t he?”

“Micah and I will sniff about, see if he knows we’re here, and exactly what his plans are.” Dutch opened his mouth only to be cut off by a familiar feminine voice.

“So, Dutch did you miss me?” Molly O’Shea storms through the camp, Uncle following behind her. The woman stumbles forward while Uncle explains where he found her.

“You’re back. How jolly, Miss O’Shea.”

“It’s Molly, you sack of shit!” 

“Back and drunk.” Dutch observed as Molly went on. She’s pointing at the gang and angrily yelling at Dutch as she does.

“What is she doing?” Lenny exclaimed. “I know she’s drunk, but…” His words are cut off by the next words that come from Molly.

“I told them!” Shock trembles through the dead, and the gang as a whole.

“I’m sorry?” Dutch growled. “You told who what?”

“Mr. Milton and Mr. Ross about the bank robbery, and I wanted them to kill you!” Tension takes place of the shock in a matter of seconds.

“You did what?” Dutch exclaims pulling his gun from his holster just as Sean and Lenny shout out, “She did what?” Hosea can feel anger rising in his chest at the woman.

“I loved you, you goddamn bastard!” Arthur tries to calm Dutch down, and the dead are surprised he’s trying. Dutch reminds Arthur of the rules. Before anyone can speak again, a shotgun blast rings and the scene pans from Molly to Miss Grimshaw holding her gun. Molly stares before collapsing to the ground, and the dead know she’ll join them soon.

“Da-damn.” Lenny stutters.

“She knew the rules, Arthur!” Susan snapped. “What the hell is wrong with you? Mister Pearson, Mister Williamson, get this body out of here and get it burnt.” The group slowly dispurses away from Molly’s corpse while the two men shuffle over. “Now get back to work, all of ya!”

Slowly, the four turn to where Molly has now shown up. None of them know how to approach her, not after seeing what had happened. Finally, Kieran rises from his seat and walks over to her. Awkwardly patting her shoulder, he asks, “Miss O’Shea?” Her eyes snap open.

“Kieran?”

“Yeah.” He shuffles unable to say anything. Kieran can only glance to the side at Lenny and Sean who stare at Molly in horror. Hosea has returned his gaze to the campfire, unable to look at her. She follows his gaze, and seems to pale.

“Why… why are you staring at me like that?”

“We saw what you said, Miss O’Shea.” Lenny confesses. “Did you… did you really sell us out on the bank robbery to get… to get back at Dutch?”

“I loved him!” She snapped.

“He was never going to love you back.” Hosea finally speaks shoulders tense before he turns to her.

“What… what do you mean, Mr. Matthews?” She quietly asks from where she hasn’t moved.

“He never loved you back.” Hosea repeats, and despite his anger towards the woman, he keeps his tone soft. “He… I… We were involved, Miss O’Shea. This whole entire time, since both my wife Bessie, and his former lover Annabelle, had passed. You were nothing more than shield to hide our involvement from anyone who wasn’t in the early years of the gang.” Panic builds in his chest when he finishes, but it’s too late to take the confession back now. The other four know now. He can see Lenny and Kieran with their mouths open, Sean staring in disbelief, and Molly with shock and horror on hers. “But that doesn’t matter now. We’re dead, and Dutch is not. There is no reason to fight about what has passed. It will get us nowhere, and we have awhile to watch I believe.” Lenny breaks the silence that follows.

“Hosea’s right. We can’t change what’s happened, Miss O’Shea.” Lenny stays seated next to Hosea when he finishes, and Kieran returns to his own while Sean is oddly quiet. Gathering herself, Molly stands slowly, and makes her way to the fire.

“So, all of you’ve been watching… since you died?” She inquires fearfully.

“Yes.” Sean confirms, his tone oddly subdued for a normally boisterous man. Silence reigns once more as night falls on the camp at Beaver Hollow.


	8. Visiting Hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to get John! Also, I was going to do the Mission where Arthur and Rains Fall speak, but I've decided to cut it, so it'll be 7 missions total instead of 8.

When Arthur meets Sadie at Copperhead landing, the dead see her arguing with Abigail. “The thing is Sadie I really can’t… I must come, he’s my husband!” The dark haired woman pleaded. 

“I know he’s your husband but it’s gonna be, well, it’s going to be violent.” Sadie replied cleaning her revolver.

“I can handle myself just fine… I’m coming.” She argued to her blonde counterpart.

“Like I said, ain’t happening. You got a boy.” Sadie deflected never stopping her movements.

“I insist!”

“Insist all you like, ain’t happening.” She turned at the sound of Arthur’s footsteps on the pier. “Arthur, tell her.” The women move to him.

“Tell her what?”

“She ain’t coming with us to collect her husband.”

“Abigail you ain’t coming.” Arthur affirms moving towards the boat. “That’s the end of the matter.”

“See, there, you heard him. Let’s go.” Sadie begins to untie the boat while Arthur climbs in.

“But-”

“But nothing. It’ll be quicker and easier with just the two of us.” Boarding the boat, and ignoring Arthur’s offered hand, Sadie turned to Abigail again. “Plus, John will be calmer without worrying about you. Ain’t complicated.”

“Well, I ain’t the crying sort, but I’m real grateful.”

“Yeah, we know you are. We’ll bring him back to ya.” The two push the boat off while Abigail calls out her thanks.

Slowly Arthur begins to row the boat, his body not quite what it was. “Alright. Here goes nothing.” The boat moves with each paddle, and Arthur mentions the marshes the prison is surrounded by.

“This is crazy.” Lenny muttered. “Are they really going to break him out there without dying? I mean, we got two seats left!”

“We won’t know till they get there, I suppose.” Hosea replied voice soft, and filled with concern. The boat hits the sand, Sadie and Arthur pop out seconds later. Hiding behind a large bush, the two peek around the branches.

“We good?” When Arthur nods, Sadie gestures to the watchtower. “Let’s head over there.” Low and steady, the pair make their way from the shore to underneath the ladder. Arthur silently crawls up the ladder, moves behind the guard, and chokes him before twisting his neck. So far, no one has noticed the duo on the tower. Picking up the sniper, they watch Arthur glance down the scope searching for John in the chain gang. Sirens sound out moments later after Arthur takes down both guards. They quickly descend the ladder, and make their way over to where the guards were. One of the guards is still alive, and Sadie quickly questions him where John is.

“He… he ain’t working today.” A chill goes through the group of the dead. How were Sadie and Arthur going to rescue him now? Another guard appears aiming his shotgun at Sadie only to have Arthur place his pistol against his back. Arthur wraps his arm around the man’s neck.

“Where’s John Marston?”

“He ain’t in the work detail today.”

“Okay, well I guess we’ll go and get him together.” Arthur responds aiming the pistol to the guard’s head. Pushing the guard forward with the weight of his body, Arthur went on, “Try anything and I’ll blow your damn head off, you clear on that?” With a shaky ‘yes’, Arthur and the guard make their way to the prison gate slowly while Sadie disarms and knocks out the others.

“Really? That’s all it took?” Sean exclaimed. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Folding his arms across his chest, Sean, and the others, watch the standoff begin. Calling out for the warden, Arthur leveled his gun to the back of the guard's head. There’s a brief back and forth calls before Arthur forces Miliken to count while he speaks about killing the guard over nothing.

“Hurry up and bring that asshole out here you bastards!” The guard cries after the older outlaw reminds him to count louder. Patting the back of Miliken, Arthur attempts to soothe the man before noticing John being led out. Sadie moves forward to meet John.

As Sadie shoots the chain off, Sean speaks, “They’re really gonna pull this off, aren’t they?”

“Looks like it!” Lenny replied leaning forward.

“You’ve really got to be kidding me!” Sean exclaims watching Arthur push the guard off of him when Sadie and John run past. Bullets are exchanged by both sides, but because of Arthur’s skill, the police are easily pushed back enough to give the three a chance to run down the bridge.

“What took you so long?” John questions gunning down several more police.

“I’ll explain later.” Arthur mutters in response killing a few more. Sprinting from the barrels they hid by and into the field, John questions Arthur had been the one in the balloon. Arthur confirms only to be cut off by John shouting, and pointing at the barn where several mounted police have come out of. Arthur easily mows them down, and the group has to take cover behind boxes.

“We gotta move, how we getting out of here?”

“We got a boat. This way, follow me!” They dashed from barrels and to the boat trading shots with the cops following them. The group watches tense hoping they make it out of the onslaught of police. That tension relieve itself when the three make to the boat, and push off.

“You always need to seem rescuing, Martson.” Arthur playfully chides, but the dead can hear him slightly out of breath.

“Nice to see you, Arthur.” John breathes.

“Come on, boys, let’s move.” Sadie shouts taking ahold of the oars while Arthur pushes the boat off and boards. “I’ll row, you shoot.” The woman turns hearing Arthur coughing. Each small cough makes the pains in Hosea’s chest worse. His son, his poor son.

“Seriously?” Arthur sounded offended.

“Let me, you... You’re a better shot.” 

“Right, fine,” grumbles Arthur unslinging his repeater from his back. “You just relax and enjoy yourself, John. Leave the real work to them as who can handle it.” John laughs out a thanks while Arthur aims.

“They actually did it.” Sean breaths out in wonderment when the three make it back to Copperhead landing. Playful banter occurs between Arthur and John only stopped when Sadie tells them to hurry. They need to get out of there before law catches up. “They actually did it…” Sean repeats watching the group ride off with John, and not a cop in sight.

“Did you really doubt Arthur, sick as he is?” Lenny commented amused.

“N-no?” Sean half muttered, half questioned.

When they’re a couple paces away, John finally asks, “So, what the hell happened in Saint Denis? Is Abigail alright?”

“She’s fine, Jack is too. She managed to get escape when they got Hosea.” A small smile appears on Hosea’s face hearing the sadness in Sadie’s voice when she says her name. Even though their interactions where brief, he always made sure to check on her, especially when they had been at Horseshoe.

“Hosea. That still don’t seem real, somehow. All them years, Arthur… he was like… like family.” His heart clenched at John’s words; he missed John as equally as he missed Arthur.

“Yeah... we lost young Lenny too.” Arthur sighed.

“No… what a goddamn mess. And did we… what about… th-the money?”

“Lost somewhere at the bottom of the ocean.”

“What. How the hell did that happen?” The older brother retells the start of the story of Guarma. “Wait, you’re gonna have to tell me all this again.” With a sigh, Arthur goes on, tells John where they’re at, and Sadie finally pipes up.

“Yeah, seems Molly ratted us out, the bitch, so she’s dead too.” The woman shrinks back at Sadie’s words, and glances down. She could clear her name now, but she doubts the group of dead would believe her.

“Jesus. Maybe you should have just left me to hang.”

“And… I should warn you... Dutch didn’t want us breaking you out. Said it wasn’t the right time, so it might not be the hero’s welcome you’re imagining.”

“So much for no man left behind.” John spits out. “I can’t stop thinking about this… in the bank… when they grabbed me, he saw it… felt like he had a… a moment to do something, and he didn’t.” Hosea swallows and tenses. If Dutch really left John behind…

When they arrive at Beaver’s Hollow, Abigail happily comes over to John hugging him tight. But the happy moment is quickly broken by Dutch’s loud shout of John’s name. “What are you doing here?” The gang leader sounds angry marching up to him with Micah in tow.

“Good to see you too, partner.”

“I meant I hadn’t sent you yet.”

“I went.” Arthur strolls up to them.

“But I said that…”

“Yeah, I know what you said. I felt different.”

“Arthur’s breaking away from Dutch’s word in front of him?” Lenny sounds shocking glancing at Hosea. “Has he ever done that before?”

“Not… not since he was younger.” Hosea’s brows furrow as he watches the scene twisting his hands together.

“Is that so?” Watching Arthur walk closer to Dutch, they can hear the venom in the older man’s voice.

“Yes.”

“And when springing John brings the law down on all of us, what then Arthur?” growls Dutch.

“Well, then I guess we’ll have another fight on our hands.” Arthur spits back.

“Loyalty, Arthur, it ain’t… I had a goddamn plan. John,” He turns to John. “John, you are my brother, you are my son. I was coming for you.”

“They… they was talking about hanging me, Dutch.” A hand holds back Abigail from pouncing on Dutch.

“They was talking. They was talking.” Dutch moved backwards hands outward. “And now they may come and hang us all.” When Dutch leaves, Abigail pulls John to his tent, and a small coughing fit breaks from Arthur’s chest making Hosea wince.

“Dutch…. Dutch sounded like he wasn’t all too happy to see John, Hosea.” Concern filters through Lenny’s voice who turns to him as imagery of a deer walking in the forest flashes in the flames.

“No, he… he didn’t.” The oldest man breathes hands twisted together.

“Do you think Dutch was going to after John at all?” Kieran finally asks. Lenny turns his head and shakes it.

“I don’t think so. He was pretty adamant about Arthur getting Micah out of prison when we were at Horseshoe, and the way he sounded… He was really gonna leave John to hang wasn’t he?” All eyes are on Hosea who runs his hands through his hair.

“No…” Hosea speaks voice cracking. “I don’t… I don’t think he was.”


	9. Just a Social Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was hard to start this chapter purely having to see Micah shove Arthur into the wall. The next 6 chapters after this will be slow, because, ugh, Chapter 6.

Arthur arrives at the house he’s expecting to meet Dutch, and Micah, at. The moment he steps onto the top stair a blur attacks him pinning him to the wall. “Was you followed?” Micah growled out in an accusing tone. He’s pushing Arthur into the wall, and making a scene if anyone in the surrounding area even cared, although the chances of that were slim. Lenny shakes his head at Micah, whose was repeating himself even though Arthur already had said no. 

“I’ve never liked Micah.”

“Neither do I.” Hosea agrees watching his son descend into another coughing fit. Each cough feels like an ice spike stabbing his heart. How could Dutch not see what was going on with their son?

“Okay.” Micah laughed watching Arthur’s coughing fit.

“What is your problem?”

“What is your problem, partner?” Micah watches Arthur like a hawk. “You don’t, uh, you don’t look so good.”

“What is wrong with you?” Arthur growled.

“Nothing wrong with me. I’m fit as a fiddle.” Flexing his arms, Micah seemed to mocking Arthur’s health.

“Has he already figured out what’s wrong with Arthur?” Kieran nervously pipes up. Heads turn to stare at the man who ducks his head in embarrassment.

“It’s… possible.” Hosea breathed. “I hope not.” The sound of heavy footsteps cuts off Hosea’s next sentence with Dutch stepping into view.

“Micah reckons there’s rat.”

“Oh, does he? On what evidence?” Gesturing with his hand, Arthur turns to Dutch.

“We’s only back a minute, Pinkertons show up.” Shaking his head, Arthur scoffs staring at Dutch.

“We’ve been on the run since you fools went crazy in Blackwater. We barely escaped with our lives in Saint Denis, now we got a rat?”

“Well, Molly clearly talked.” No one glances at the woman, nor do they comment at the flinch she makes at Dutch’s words. “But, who else.”

“Maybe,” Arthur started moving closer to Dutch, “we pushed things too hard? Maybe time for folks like us is passed.” Ignoring the fasle snore and groan from Micah, the sick outlaw pushes more, “We don’t need a rat. We got sloppier than the town drunk, and they know who we are, and where we are, and what we’re doing.”

“He’s right.” Sean muttered from his seat. “We did get sloppy. Tried playing two families for nothing, but getting me killed. Made a mess in Saint Denis with the trolley station, Bronte, and then the bank, which ended both of your lives.” Sean’s gaze lands on Hosea and Lenny. No one dares to argue with Sean for once, knowing him, and Arthur, are correct. They turn to the fire to see Dutch glaring down Micah for touching his shoulder.

“Well, something’s gotta happen, and fast. Otherwise, Cornwall, them Pinkertons, they got us pinned in here, and ain’t none of them stopping.”

“Well, Cornwall’s why we’re here. Shall we, Dutch?” The man throws up his arms, and agrees with Micah.

“Yeah, it’s time to go.” Spinning on his heal, Dutch gestures for the two follow.

“Ah, leave Cornwall alone. He ain’t… look we need money, but revenge? Now?” Both Micah and Dutch urge Arthur to join them, both acting as if the other man was a complete idiot. “This better not be no stupid revenge mission. It ain’t worth it.” The dying outlaw growls to his partners. Laughing, Dutch comments that it was just a simple social call, but there’s something in his movement that seems off to Hosea. Furrowing his brow, he silently watches the argument that plays out before him. 

“... He is the reason Hosea was killed…” The oldest man’s head snaps up at the words. Anger flares in his chest, and he’s not quite sure why. Something the way Dutch had said his name, along with the rest of his rant, has him on edge. A hand hesitantly reaches out for him, and when he turns to see the owner, he finds himself pleasantly surprised. Molly’s expression is soft as her grip on his hand. Giving her a polite smile, he places his other hand on hers.

“I’ll be fine, thank you.” He whispered before turning his gaze back to the fire where the unlikely trio are hiding near the boxes. Low rumbling heralds the approach of a long small ship. Pinkertons begin to walk the small dock while two men on the small boat are grabbing a gangplank. The voice that speaks fills Hosea, and the others, with icy cold fear. A phantom hand lands on his back sending a soft shiver down his spine. Two seats left, and three possible gang members that could be killed. Arthur was the obvious pick that no one said.

“I want to thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Cornwall.”

“This was a business meeting, Mr. Milton. We are not friends.” Agent Milton walks into view with Cornwall right behind him. A few agents undock while the businessman goes on, “I have spent a considerable fortune with your agency and still, nothing. This Van der Linde robs me, and laughs at me. I asked for the best, I paid for the best.”

“We are very close, Mr. Cornwall. I know you’ve heard this before…” The agent is cut off by Cornwall ordering one of his men to send a telegram to New York. The detectives shared a look barely phased by Cornwall’s actions, or at least outwardly.

“Sorry, no. I have heard it before, and get that army man to pay his portage charge.” He shouts after the men that’s disappeared.

“We are doing all we can within the confines of the law.” Milton replied, a slight hint of annoyance in his tone.

“The law?” Cornwall mocked.

“He’s arrogant.” Sean observes leaning back slightly.

“You can say that again.” Lenny agrees sneaking a glance at Hosea. Since Milton had started speaking, the younger of the outlaw couldn’t help be concerned on Hosea’s reaction to seeing, and hearing, the agent again. Before Hosea can reply he’ll be fine, Sean snickers out.

“He’s arrogant.” Placing his hands into his face with a groan, Lenny simply shuts up wishing he hadn’t spoken at all. Kieran pats Lenny’s shoulder in a poor attempt to console him. Micah moving away from the group catches everyone’s attention again. “What’s he doing?” questions Lenny with Cornwall yelling at a manager of some kind.

“I don’t know.” Kieran replied. “I saw Dutch make a hand gesture at him, but I didn’t see what for.” Before anyone speaks, Dutch’s voice rings out clear and powerful. Hearing Dutch’s voice, it was now Hosea’s turn to place his head into his hands, letting go of Molly’s.

“Perhaps there is a plague on your house already, Mr. Cornwall.” The scene flickers to Dutch backing up, and Arthur in the background gesturing at Dutch in a ‘what are you doing?’ movement. Raising his hand at Arthur, Dutch walks closer the man who questions what Dutch is doing. “I’m not quite sure, just yet.”

“Does Dutch even have a plan?” Lenny questioned with everyone staring at Hosea, the one who would most likely know.

“No, I don’t think he does.” The truth hurts his chest, his heart, but Hosea knows he should be honest. “I don’t… I don’t think he’s had since before Blackwater. Thinking on it, the Tahiti plan seems… far too out there, even for him.” The one thing Hosea can’t bring himself to stay is how far the gang may go down with Dutch at the helm seemingly unhinged since Hosea’s death, and the time spent on Guarma.

“He has seemed a little more unhinged since…” Kieran starts.

“Since the bank robbery, and Guarma?” Lenny pipes up.

“No, since he hit his head on the trolley.”

“You’re right… I did notice some slight changes after that, but I thought it was temporary.” Several emotions flash across Lenny’s face. “The alligator… with Bronte…” He breathes glancing between Sean and Kieran. “You saw that didn’t you? I thought he might have been pissed off with Bronte after the whole kidnapping debacle with Jack, but… I mean… I’ve heard of it happening to people. They get hit in the head hard enough their entire personality changes, but… would that cause it enough to… to feed a man to an alligator?”

“I’m sorry, Lenny, but he did what?” Hosea growled out.

“He… he didn’t tell you?”

“No. He didn’t.” Anger is pouring off him now. “Dutch told me he dealt with Bronte, but he didn’t say how he fed the damn man to a god damned alligator!” Clenching his jaw, Hosea glares at the image of Dutch in the fire still speaking to Cornwall. The other four exchanged tense glances at each other not daring to anger Hosea.

“I’ll tell you what. You give me this ship, ten thousand dollars, and safe passage out of here, and I’ll let you live.” Turning to his men, Cornwall lets out a wheezing laugh.

“I’ll do no such thing.”

“You sure? Good, I prefer it this way.” Unslinging his gun, Dutch fires at Cornwall whose chest erupts in a splatter of blood. A gun fight breaks out with the group of dead staring in shock at the action Dutch had just made. Flashes of Dutch, Arthur, and Micah running flicker with the flames. However, none of them can truly pay attention to the firefight still far too shunned, nor to the conversation spoken freeing horses from a carriage, and not even when the three had made it out safely. Dutch had killed Cornwall bringing down more heat on the gang, which didn’t need any more heat than it already had.


	10. The Fine Art of Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur's conversation with Sister Cauldron (I love her) comes, and everyone's reaction to seeing Arthur so openly vulnerable for once.
> 
>  
> 
> Slowly getting to the final chapter 6 mission. Three more chapters before that. Prepare yourselves!

The few days passed in a blur with each member of the dead’s in varying states of shock at the gang’s position. Dutch was involving himself into the affairs of the local tribe in hopes it would make a big enough distraction to allow the gang to escape, where as Arthur was trying to stop it in hopes that it wouldn’t escalate and drag the gang down into something it truly didn’t belong in. But his efforts were failing with Eagles Flies involving himself, and stealing back the tribe’s horses, and there was no doubt Dutch, in his seemingly downward spiral, would involve himself even more.

“Josiah.” Arthur greets the man sitting down suitcase next to him. It’s obvious what Trewlany is planning to do, and none of the dead can blame him for wanting to get out.

“I was, uh…” Josiah trailed off unable to completely look Arthur in the eyes.

“Leaving again?” Arthur finishes sitting down.

“Yes, just leaving. I’ll see you soon.” A cough breaks from Arthur’s chest.

“Perhaps.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if I was you, I’d disappear too. This all pretty much over.”

“Well, I’ll be back.” Josiah insisted softly, a fake laugh on his lips. Arthur laughed shaking his head.

“No you won’t, let’s not pretend no more. Get outta here.” 

“I’ll miss you, Arthur. You’ve been a fine friend to me.” They both get up from the table.

“No, let’s not get over sentimental.” Tapping Josiah’s shoulder, Arthur takes a quick peak around the camp. “Go on, the place is quiet, get outta here, you go with my blessing.”

“Thank you, Arthur.” Josiah softly mutters before walking off. Watching the man scurry off, Arthur sits back down with a sigh. He looks exhausted slowly being consumed by tuberculosis, and no one in the gang seemingly caring for the man that’s worked so hard for them all. It pains Hosea’s heart, and he wished he had taken his son out for more relaxing work, or even more hunting trips to give the workhorse of the gang a break. The quick peace Arthur is allowed is quickly dashed by the sound of another voice.

“Found a friend looking for you.” Charles appears around a tree followed by Rains Fall.

“Mr. Morgan.” The old chief greets.

“Sir.” Rains Fall gently asks how well Arthur is doing, and seems pleased when the slowly dying man admits he’s feeling better. Muted excitement hugs the dead when Rains Falls states he may have made some progress with Colonel Favours by getting the man to agree to a meeting to discuss, and maybe, solve alleged grievances between the U.S. Army, and the Wapiti tribe. The chief asks if Arthur and Charles could join them in the talks as his men are not allowed to carry arms. At first, Arthur is reluctant to go, but after somewhat non-gentling pushing from Charles, he finally agrees, and the three mount up to ride out to the meeting point.

“Thank you for doing this, both of you. You have already done so much.”

“Ain’t a problem. Just hope no one recognizes me. I’ve had a few run ins with the Army lately.”

“I wish we could have done more to control the situation.” Charles spits out. “Dutch shouldn’t have gotten involved. All the dead glance at each other, and nod. They’re all in agreement with Charles. Dutch is aggravating a situation he doesn’t quite understand.

“I hope they can calm both parties.” Lenny says focused on the image of Rains Fall, Charles, and Arthur. “This is a powder keg waiting to go off, and I know there’s only two chairs left, but nothing says that more can’t be added.”

“Lenny’s right.” Hosea speaks chin in his hand. The idea of the gang being dragged into such an explosive situation scares him. Between Dutch’s downward spiral, and Arthur dying of a disease, a part of him isn’t sure he could handle watching several members gunned down in something they didn’t belong in. “This could escalate, and we could have several more people joining us. But we don’t know for sure. All we can do is wait and see how this plays out.”

Tents are scattered throughout a small clearing between the reservation, and the gang’s camp. Uneasy looks pass through the dead, none of them like how close the talks are to the gang’s camp. But there’s nothing they can do except watch the trio walk up to a table covered by a tent. Two people are already sitting down, they recognize Monroe, and can easily assume the other man is Colonel Favors. Coughs rattled Arthur’s chest with brief greetings exchanged by both parties with Colonel Favours being unable to call Rains Fall chief. The man goes on calling everyone gathered Americans while calling Rains Fall’s people criminals ignoring the Army’s own misgivings against the Indians. Another coughing rattles Arthur’s chest, and they grow increasingly concerned whether Arthur will just drop dead in front of everyone.

The coughing fit continues, and Colonel Favours snaps at someone to take Arthur to a tent and let him have a moment to rest. Begrudgingly, Arthur lets the soldier take him over to a tent where he sits down to breathe. The soldier comments on Arthur’s cough and turns to grab him water before Arthur can decline. Voices filter from the other side of the canvas, and Arthur kneels to listen in as long as he can. The men are talking about what Favours will to Monroe the first chance he can get. About how Favours is trying to get rid of Monroe in an attempt to save his career. The conversation ends forcing Arthur to sit back on the cot, although just in time for the soldier to come back and take Arthur back over the negotiations. They try to ignore the small coughing fit Arthur has when he stands up.

When the pair return to the table, they can hear Colonel Favours asking Rains Fall what he found so confusing. Suddenly, Rains Fall stands up. “Good day, Colonel Favours.” He almost bites out before walking away to mount his horse, and ride back to his men. An argument breaks out between Favours and Monroe.

“Charles.” Arthur greeted coming to stand next to the man. The two glance at each while Favours and Monroe argue. A silent conversation passes between the two.

“Arrest this man!” Favours yelled springing Arthur into action by grabbing the nearest soldier and putting his gun to the man’s head. Tension fills the group of the dead. Was this how Arthur was going to die? In a standoff with the Army?

“Let him go.” Arthur growls. “Captain Monroe, let’s get out of here.” He glances at Favours while Monroe inches his way to Arthur. “If I were you I’d keep my mouth shut amigo.” Monroe walks past Charles who gently pushes him towards the horses. A tense standoff starts with Arthur saying, “I don’t want to kill this man but shall!” He orders the other two to mount up dragging the soldier with him. The soldier spits out at Arthur who says nothing but pushes him forward when there’s enough room between him and the other soldiers. The three are quick to mount up and ride out gunshots ringing out behind them.

Spurring their horses, they head south followed by soldiers. Charles shouts out something, and Arthur is quick to down the soldier that comes near him. The pursuit continues into the forest until Monroe’s horse is shot from underneath him. Crashing to the ground, Monroe cries out while the two outlaws fire at a group of soldiers that have ambushed them. The men seem to pour from the trees forcing Arthur and the group to hold until they have a chance to escape. When they do, Arthur is quick to pull Monroe on his horse and spur as hard as he can out of the area, Charles hot on his trail. As they grow closer to Emerald Ranch, the soldiers taper off giving them a chance to breathe.

“I think we’re finally in the clear. Everybody okay?” Arthur inquires.

“Not really… what do we do now?” Monroe mutters back.

“You get out of here... fast. We’ll take you to the station.” Monroe complains about what had just happened. “I heard them talking. They was gonna have you hanged for treason. You can’t die for those fools.”

“And what about the chief?”

“We’ll do what we can.” Pain taps Hosea’s chest at Arthur’s promise. His son knows he can do very little for the tribe, and more so with the state he’s in. How can he promise such a thing to the Captain? They arrive at Emerald Ranch without pursuers save for the tuberculous that’s slowly consuming Arthur. Coughing, Arthur dismount his horse to escort Monroe onto the train. Brief goodbyes are exchanged along with Arthur handing over some of his personal money. Another bout of pain pools in Hosea’s chest to see Arthur handing out money knowing that his time is coming, and that he doesn’t need it.

“Meet you back at camp.” Charles softly mutters tapping Arthur’s back who starts into another coughing fit. They’re starting to come more often, and the dead wonder how long before Arthur joins them. The work he’s been given is straining Arthur, slicing away parts of his energy. And with Dutch seemingly not caring about his son, Arthur will have no rest.

“Mr. Morgan!” A woman’s voice cries out while Arthur coughs. “Are you okay?” Surprise filters through the dead seeing the nun. When did he meet her?

“Never better.” He greets the nun. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I’m on my way down to Mexico, they’re finally sending me down on a mission. Brother Dorkins is very jealous.” Arthur opens his mouth to respond, but another coughing fit steals any words he has. The nun guides him down to the bench.

“What’s wrong?” Her voice filled with concern at the state of the man before her.

“I’m, uh, I’m dying sister.” It’s the first time Arthur has ever said it aloud to anyone.

“Okay.”

“Yeah. I got TB. I got it beating a man to death for a few bucks.” The confession has everyone, save for Molly’s confused expression, staring at Lenny who seemed to have guessed how Arthur had gotten tuberculous. “I lived a bad life, sister.”

“We’ve all lived bad lives, Mr. Morgan, we all sin, but I know you.” Her hand gently rests on Arthur’s forearm. Arthur laughs and waves her off.

“You don’t know me.”

“Forgive me, that’s the problem. You don’t know you.” 

“What you mean?”

“I don’t know, but whenever we happen to meet, you’re always helping people and smiling.”

“I had a son, he passed away.” Another pang of pain tapped Hosea at the mention of Issac. “I had a girl who loved me I threw that away. My momma died when I was a kid, and my daddy, well I watched him die and it weren’t soon enough.” The openness Arthur is displaying towards the nun is shocking to everyone save for Hosea. He knows how vulnerable Arthur can truly be, but it’s locked behind several walls protecting Arthur. 

“My husband died a long time ago. Life is full of pain, but there is also love and beauty.”

“What am I gonna do now?”

“Be grateful for the first time you see your life so clearly.”

“Sure.” Arthur rubs his chin.

“Perhaps you could help somebody.” The nun suggested. “Helping makes you really happy.” No one dares reply with a smart ass comment about Arthur’s way of helping people.

“But I still don’t believe in nothing.” There’s a soft laugh from the nun.

“Often neither do I,” Arthur turns to stare at her, “but then, I meet someone like you and everything makes sense.” It’s Arthur turn to laugh.

“You’re too smart for me, Sister. I guess I… I’m afraid.” Arthur sounds as if he’s on the verge of tears. Swallowing, Hosea has to bite down a cry at the emotion displayed clearly on Arthur’s face for all to see. The confession that Arthur’s afraid to die has the dead in various saddened expressions that not even Arthur is spared from the fear of death.

“There is nothing to be afraid of, Mr. Morgan. Take a gamble that loves exists and do a loving act.” Something in Arthur’s brain is turning hearing the sister’s words. He’s making up his mind on something, and they don’t know what.

“All abroad!” A conductor cries in the distance.

“I shall try.” He says standing up to take her bags.

“I know you will.” She replied taking his hand as he guides them to the train and helps her board. Handing over the bags to her, they watch call out her goodbyes as the train rumbles forward. Arthur waves her off watching the train leave before turning and mounting his horse to head back to camp.

“God,” Lenny starts after silence had fallen on the group, “he did get from the Downes man.” Placing his head in his hands, Hosea forces himself to take several calming breaths. He should have objected strongly to Strauss’s work. Perhaps if he did, Arthur wouldn’t be dying from TB.

“Is that what Arthur’s dying from?” Molly breaths out in a fearful tone. “Tuberculous?”

“Yes. Before the gang came to Beaver Hollow, Arthur collapsed in the streets of Saint Denis. Someone took him to a doctor, and well…” Hosea can’t bring himself to finish. He’s on the verge of panic from Arthur’s conversation with the nun, and he so desperately wishes he could be there for his son.

“I’m sorry, Hosea.” Molly whispers back.

“I am too.” He agrees.


	11. The Bridge to Nowhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I felt like the dialogue between Arthur and John in this chapter was worth doing. Very dialogue heavy in this chapter. Two chapters before the final chapter of Chapter 6. Prepare yourselves for the incoming tears.

Days after since Arthur’s conversation with the mysterious sister, there’s been no real rest for Arthur whose growing sicker by the day. Only a few members of the gang are truly worried about him, but even then, they rarely ask him how he’s doing. And they’ve watched Colm swing, watched Sadie finish off the O’Driscolls, watched Arthur and Dutch further along the U.S Army-Wapiti tribe conflict which ended with Eagle Flies being captured, which ended with Arthur and Charles rescuing the man. Now, Arthur is headed near Bacchus Bridge to blow it up with John under some plan of Dutch’s that seems to make no sense, if there is even a plan at all beyond creating absolute chaos.

“Arthur.” John says turning from the wagon holding a bunch a dynamite.

“How you doing?”

“Nervous, but I've been nervous for a while.” Swinging his hands up and down a bit, John glances down then back to the man he sees as his older brother. “I had a lot of time to think in that jail, and,” He hands Arthur a cigarette who takes it, both seemingly ignoring the fact they’re standing right next to a wagon full of dynamite, “I feel like I just don’t know Dutch no more.”

“You ain’t the only one.” Arthur responds placing the cigarette in his mouth.

“And this plan to get us out, it just feels, I don’t know.”

“Like he’s stringing us along, I know.” John goes to light both cigarettes before stopping and finally glancing to his right which makes Arthur pause and look. The siblings share a look before quickly tossing the unused cigarettes. The sight makes a sad smile appear on Hosea’s face; it reminds him of when the two had been younger, and such a sight was often seen.

“Killing in cold blood, revenge, we all do bad things, but he seems to enjoy it now.” John voices the thing none of the dead have been wanting to say since watching Dutch murdered Cornwall. “It’s like he just wants to create more enemies. More chaos.” Nodding in agreement with John, Arthur helps his little brother move a crate off of the wagon. “I mean… I love Dutch. He saved me a long time ago.” Placing the crate onto the small cart with his older brother, John goes on, “I feel like in Saint Denis, when I got arrested maybe he could have done something.”

Arthur points at John with his finger. “I feel like you should take your woman and child and get lost.” If Arthur had suggested that a long time ago, the dead would laughed at him, and even been highly surprised considering how Arthur felt about John’s year away from them. But in the face of what seems to be coming, it’s good advice to give to John, and the dead can’t blame Arthur for telling him to go.

“Do you?”

“You can… you could give something to Jack. It’s that or… well I don’t see no way outta this.” Arthur gestures around with his arm, before moving away from the cart.

“But what about loyalty?”

“Be loyal to what matters.”

“What are you gonna do?” John asks just as another coughing fit breaks from Arthur’s chest.

Arthur waves him off, and lies. “I-I’ll be okay… but do it for me. And it would make me feel good, if that makes any sense.” There’s a shy rub of his chin when it dawns on the dead what Arthur had made up his mind during the conversation with the nun. He’s going to try and get John and his family out at the very least, perhaps the others as well.

“A little, but…”

“Listen to me when the time comes you gotta run, and don’t look back. This is over.”

“And now?”

“Now, we gotta help Dutch give the army one final tweak on its nose.” He gestures to the bridge they’re planning on blowing to shreds.

“Yeah, come on.” John takes another crate of the wagon. “Help me with the rest of this.” They drag the next crate to the cart before jumping on.

“Well, it looks like we finally found our calling in life.” Arthur joked before helping John push the cart over the bridge. The siblings move it to the middle where the younger has already set up detonator.

“You hear about Dutch and Cornwall?” Arthur mutters slowing the cart when they’ve come to place John spoke about.

“Yeah, this is what I’m talking about. More enemies, more chaos.” The younger brother slides off the cart, and heads toward the ladder. He instructs the older to slowly bring down the crates via rope. Slowly, both crates are brought down, opened, and ready for the two start placing dynamite. Gathering the bundled sticks, both men start placing them on pillars before John needs to head back up to make sure the hand cart is ready.

Just as Arthur is placing the last batch, John suddenly stands up, glancing around. “Shit… I think I hear something coming, Arthur.” A loud noise rumbles from the other side signaling the coming of a train. The dead go still fear circling the group. They have two chairs left. “Train!” John yells. “Arthur, get up here, quick!” The pair pump as hard they can, and it’s by pure luck the two manage to escape before they can get hit, the chart easily pushed away by the hunking beast of metal. Hosea lets out the breath he didn’t know he had been holding.

“Thank you.” John breathed getting up and staring at the passing train with Arthur. They pretend to not notice the latest coughing fit.

“No problem.”

Gesturing to the tracks, John turns to the other man. “That just ain’t how I want to die. Come on.” The two move to the detonator. “Let’s go blow this thing up. I think the line held. You want the honors?”

“Sure.” Arthur pushes down exploding the middle of the bridge. Several parts fall into the river below. “Well, I guess old Dutch got all the smoke he wants.”

“Well, let’s hope so.”

“You really think that’ll draw attention away from us?”

“I guess we’ll see.” And that’s all the dead, and perhaps the living, can do. They can watch and hope it gets the gang away from the mess they’ve made, and the mess Dutch is creating. “To tell the truth, I ain’t even sure I fully understand Dutch’s plan with all this.” John says heading back towards the wagon with Arthur.

“Like I said, John, when the time comes, you go.”

“But what about loyalty to… to everything?”

“You been loyal. I been loyal. Look what that caused. You know, all that mattered to me was loyalty. It was all I knew.” They stop at the wagon. “It was all I ever believed in, but not any more, John. Soon, you gotta go. Go, and don’t look back.” The fact that Arthur is repeating himself tells the dead how serious he is about John leaving, and cutting ties with the dying gang.

“I’ll think about it.” Climbing onto the driver’s seat, John stares down at Arthur.

“I’ve done a lot of thinking. Look at us, out here risking our necks, and for what exactly?”

“For a…” John tries.

“For an idea that don’t work no more.”

“How you mean?”

“You know just what I mean.” A heavy sense of seriousness is embedded into Arthur’s voice. “You got a family. You need cash, you need to start building a life for yourself. Me? Well, I need a vacation, and Dutch has all the money. For safekeeping.” The words shock the dead to their core, it’s not something they expected to hear. The concept of Arthur robbing Dutch is almost foreign to them, but yet, they can’t blame him for saying it. Dutch has seemed to have lost his mind.

“You know something… Abigail… thinks she might know where some of that money is.”

“Well, you tell her she better make sure and them come talk to me and we’ll find out just who and what we should be loyal to.”

“I-I don’t know, Arthur.” John shifts uncomfortably still clearly nervous about the subject at hand.

“Nor do I, but I’m seeing things a lot more clearly now. I wish things were different, but it weren’t us who changed.” He reminds John who slowly nods before driving the wagon off. Arthur moves off just as another coughing fit descends on him forcing him to sit on the stack of barrels nearby. Moving his hand from his mouth, they watch Arthur stare at the blood in it before wiping his hand on his jacket. Soft exhales and gasps exit his mouth as his lungs clawed for some of the air they can’t have. Getting up, a soft groan exits Arthur’s mouth, and they can’t help but wonder how long Arthur has. They’ve noticed he’s breathing harder, and his reactions are a bit more sluggish.

“God,” Lenny breathes watching Arthur ride off no doubt to the next job whatever it might be, and whether it kills him or not. “He’s… he’s getting worse. How much longer can Arthur go?”

“I don’t know. He’s strong willed, that’s for sure, but…” Hosea waves his hand unable to say anything more.

“Do you think he’ll be able to get anyone else out, or just John and his family?” Kieran inquires from his chair.

“I don’t know. Some of the others are smart enough to figure out when it’s time to leave, but I don’t know.” Running his hands through his hair, Hosea speaks again. “God, I want to kill Dutch.” Heads turn to him. “He’s working our son to the bone. Arthur’s dying faster, he doesn’t seem to notice, and, and God knows what will happen to John if Arthur passes before he can get out. He’s not the man I knew and loved.”

“No, he isn’t, is he?” Lenny mumbles.


	12. My Last Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I was going to post My Last Boy, Our Best Selves, and Red Dead Redemption back to back, since they basically follow each other with My Last Boy being the last mission you can free roam after with Arthur, but the idea of waiting that long was putting a damper on my ability to write anything, so I'm just going to forgo it. Enjoy.

Morning comes, and they see Arthur slowly sit from his cot with a wheeze. His movements are sluggish standing up, and they watch him have to take a moment to steady himself. Glancing over to his right, Arthur frowns seeing Micah’s pals sitting not to far from Dutch’s tent. Grabbing his hat, Arthur marches over to the group. The dead notes Micah is standing next to Dutch seemingly taking the spot Hosea, and to a certain extent Arthur, once held.

“So why are these two still here?”

“Old pal’s of Micah.”

“They’re getting real comfortable.”

“We need guns for what’s coming. Cleet and Joe know how to fight. It’s lucky I bumped into them.”

“What is going on Dutch, what is happening to us? What is happening to you?”

“You show him some respect.” Micah growled moving closer to Arthur.

“Excuse me?” Arthur growled back with the sound of thundering hooves in the background.

“Mister Van der Linde!” Eagle Flies shouts breaking the possible fight that would have happened. “Mister Morgan! Charles!” Everyone turns see Eagle Flies astride his horse followed by several of his tribe mates. “They tried to kill my people for oil. For oil! Today we ride once more. Ride with me, ride with us. Ride with us against the factory.” Dutch strides over to Eagle Flies and there’s something in his step that makes Hosea’s gut twist. A predator's walk.

“I love your courage, son.” Dutch says opening his arms to Eagle Flies. “It is a thing a great beauty.” Another rider comes up when Dutch finishes.

“Stop!” Rains Fall shouts. “Everyone stop!” He dismounts wobbling over to Eagle Flies. “My son, my last son, don’t. When I was your age, I fought. I saw death. I have killed. The men I knew were slain. My first born, your brother had his head smashed by a drunken soldier. My wife had her throat slit. We made peace. I knew not to trust, yet I had no choice. Maybe you were right, maybe the slow death is worse than a fast one. Maybe none of these men are good. Maybe in a world in which they came to us is a world we cannot endure. But endure we must.”

“Father, you are tired.”

“Do not die for pride, my son. We have suffered too much in this trick.” Rains Fall pleaded. “The earth, the water, they have no pride. They endure, and we must endure. My only boy, my precious boy, do not take my strength for weakness. As your chief, I implore you.”

“Your words mean nothing to me, Father.”

“Don’t.”

“Ride with me! Now!” They watch Eagle Flies ride off, the pleas of his father seemingly bouncing off the man’s ears. Rains Fall watches in hopelessness before turning to Arthur. Sorrow descends on the group at the sight of a father begging his son not to ride to war.

“Please, Mister Morgan.” Rains Fall shuffled over. “After you helped me, after we spoke this is just a trap. My son, my people, will all die.” Dutch creeps up glancing between Arthur and the chief. There’s something in his expression none of the dead like.

“You helped this feller, Arthur.” He gestures to Rains Fall.

“What of it?”

“What else have you been doing behind Dutch’s back?” Micah accused.

“What?” Before the conversation can escalate again, Rains Fall speaks up.

“The wars are over… we have lost. These young men will be annihilated. Please.”

“I’ll see what I can do. Charles?” The other man nods, and Arthur shouts, “Who else will come with me?”

“Oh, I’ll ride, Arthur.” Dutch says. “Who knows what other secrets I’ll learn about.” The man hissed. “Who else?” Several voices call out, and the gang mounts up. “Alright, let’s ride out.” The dead look amongst each other unsure of what to say. None of them know what’s going on anymore. All they can do is watch Dutch snap at Arthur wondering what the man has been doing been his back. Arthur defends himself saying he was trying to stop the mess from getting worse, which clearly didn’t work.

Hosea places his head in his hands listening to the conversation as the gang rides. The family he and Dutch built is falling apart before his eyes, and he can do nothing to stop it. Some rat is tearing them apart, and Dutch is too blind to see who it is, and too blind see Arthur is dying in front of him. What happened to Dutch, to the man he so loved, to make him this way? Had his death affected Dutch more than they could tell? Glancing up, he can see various emotions on his fellow dead. There’s hints of disgust on Lenny’s face, worry in Molly’s and Kieran’s, and Sean seems defeated. Glancing back to the fire, he sees the group has arrived at the factory where a massacre is happening.

“Can anyone see Eagle Flies?” Arthur inquired searching the battlefield.

“There, going across the walkway.” Charles points out.

“You got what you wanted, Dutch.”

“You coming, Arthur?”

“I’m going to try and save him. This fight is unwinnable if you go and distract them and let me get to him.”

“Have it your way.” Dutch says cooly. “The rest of you, ride with me. Let’s meet up at the factory. Let’s ride!” He kicks the Count forward, and they notice Sadie, Charles, and few of the Wapiti stay with Arthur.

“Go with him, try and help there. I’m better off alone.”

“We’re riding with you.” Charles declares pulling out his sawed off shotgun.

“Come on then.” Arthur pushes his horse forward with the others following. The thundering sound of hooves surging down the hill announce the arrival Arthur’s group towards the factory. Several of the Wapiti go down as they charge leaving only Arthur, Charles, and Sadie. Gunfire and arrows are traded between the soldiers and Arthur’s group. It’s not long before the soldiers fall to Arthur’s aim, the skills of a killer honed through years of fighting.

One bullet ends the life of the man who nearly kills Eagle Flies when Arthur draws near. Eagle Flies breathes out a thanks before wondering where his men are. Pointing to the factory, Charles comments that he thought he saw some fighting there. Seeing men cross a walkway above them, Arthur urges them towards the factory. The soldiers that attempt to fight have no chance against the group that inches their way to the factory. Blood, oil, flames, and bodies highlight the way.

They regroup with Dutch and the others exactly where the man says they’ll be. No one in the dead can explain why, but they’re surprised Dutch is still there.

“So good of you to join us.” Dutch says when Arthur joins him. “Hello, son.” He greets Eagle Flies.

“Hey.”

“Saved your life?”

“He did.”

“You’re quite the hero, Arthur. Ain’t you?”

“Just a regular good guy. Same as always.”

“What is it with you, Arthur? What is it?” Arthur double takes at Dutch’s question.

“I don’t get you… I don’t get you no more.”

“Ah, the doubting. The doubting.” It wasn’t purely doubt Arthur held towards Dutch, it was the fact that the older man seemed to be slipping into insanity. “Come on, get him out of here. All of you.” He stands looking down on Arthur. “Come on, let’s go finish things.”

“Finish what?”

“Ah, the doubts. You know why I wanted to them attack this place?”

“I have no idea.”

“Javier, you get them and you go.”

“Until I find all my men, I’m not leaving.”

 

“As you wish, the rest of you get outta here.” Charles comes to Eagles Flies’ side stating he’s staying. Aiming his gun, Dutch shoots the lock of one of the doors. “We’re getting our ticket outta here.” He says to Arthur who follows. The two head up to the office where Cornwall was apparently hiding state bonds. Arthur searches cabinets while Dutch searches the desk. The dying outlaw finds small items to fence, but not much. It seems hopeless until Dutch says, “I got them.” Turning around, Arthur watches Dutch hold up several papers; state bonds. “This is it. It’s state bonds.” Joy seems to be filling Dutch’s tone as he speaks glancing between the papers and Arthur.

“How much?”

“It’s a few thousand dollars worth, maybe more. We are nearly there. Arthur, we’re nearly there.” Dutch tucks the bonds into his vest. “Mister Morgan, let’s go home.” The pair of outlaws walk out of the office, and as Arthur follows behind, they hear him cough and spit out something. And they watch as Dutch seems to say nothing. When they hit the bottom of the stairs, a voice calls out that they’re here from the two. Settling into place, both men start firing at the new group of soldiers slowly making their way back to where they entered. And just when Arthur steps under an archway, a spray of steam shoots into Arthur’s eyes forcing him to stumble and fall. Three soldiers appear, and one calls out that they have one. The soldier crawls on top of Arthur with a knife who manages to hold him off.

“Dutch… I need help!” Arthur cries struggling to keep the knife from going into his chest. The dead hold their breath expecting Dutch to shoot the man on top of Arthur. The scene flickers to show them that Dutch turns away leaving the man he called a son behind, and causing an uproar.

“Are you serious?” Lenny and Sean cry out at the same time, shock coloring their faces. Placing her hands against her mouth, Molly looks on in shock at Dutch’s actions where Kieran lets his mouth drop. A wave of fury engulfs Hosea’s chest, and he has to grit his teeth, and tighten his hands into balls to keep from storming away from the fire. The only thing that keeps Hosea from blowing up on the spot is the sound of three gunshots and the sight of Eagle Flies rescuing his son. But another gunshot rings out, and they see Colonel Favours standing there cattleman pistol in hand slowly turning his sights onto Arthur, but Arthur’s the quicker draw and kills Favours before he can fire at Arthur.

Getting up, Arthur rushes over to Eagle Flies whose clutching his stomach. “Ah, you, you silly fool.” He pulls Eagle Flies up by the arm, and helps him out of the factory.

“You saved my life more than once to give mine for yours it’s as it should be.”

“Come on.” It’s the only thing Arthur says kicking the door open, and seeing Dutch and Charles there.

“We need to go.” Dutch mutters seemingly ignoring the fact he left Arthur to die, but Arthur doesn’t. Anger flares at Dutch, and if looks from the dead could kill, the man would be face forward in the dirt.

“You… you ran away.” Charles climbs up the stairs to take ahold of Eagle Flies.

“I did no such thing. Don’t be a fool. They could be back here any minute.” Something flashes on Arthur’s face hearing Dutch’s words. “We did it gentlemen. We got some money, and with the train job, well, we got a whole lot of money.” Arthur glances between Eagle Flies and Dutch a silent war going on within him. “Come on, everything is coming together. Exactly as I planned.”

“I’ve got to take the boy to his father.”

“As you wish, usually is, nowadays.”

“Sure.”

“Come on, we gotta get back to camp and prepare. Let’s ride.”

“I’ll be back when I can.” Charles mounts his horse, and chooses to stay with Arthur. Sadie would have done the same thing if not for Arthur saying, “No, get out of here, please, this ain’t gonna be nothing nice.” The tone in Arthur’s voice nearly breaks Hosea’s heart completely. His son sounds so tired, and so hurt. The three ride out of the factory, and towards the reservation.

“I can’t believe it.” Lenny breathes while the group rides. “He left him. Dutch. Left. Arthur.” The man stands up and begins to pace. “All this time, Sean, Hosea, all this time he said Arthur was his son, and he just leaves him to die?”

“I know.” Sean agrees glancing at Hosea who still has his jaw, and fists clenched. “He told us that loyalty matter, he had Arthur go back and get me, get Micah, and yet when Arthur needed him, he just stood there before leaving him. God, what has happened to him?”

“I don’t know.” Hosea manages to get out squeezing his hands together. “I don’t know.” He wishes he could descend into the living world and punch, kick, and yell at Dutch for what he just did. But he can’t, not unless Dutch dies and is brought here. He feels helpless sitting here watching. Watching Arthur die, watching the gang fall apart, watching Dutch slip deeper into whatever pit he’s fallen into. Hopeless claws him watching Arthur bring Eagle Flies into the chief’s tent, watches the man who dies for nothing save for being a tool for Dutch to use. Nearly cries when Arthur passes out, found by a family then stumbles out of their home and into the street and straight into another coughing fit. Nearly cries seeing blood coughed up and spit into the street. And tries to pretend he doesn’t see the wobbling in Arthur’s steps as he grows weaker.


	13. Our Best Selves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Before** you read this chapter, I want to thank you for being patient in waiting for it. Late March my grandma ended in the hospital from a stroke. I was able to write a few chapters before having to stop due the fact she passed in June. "My Last Boy" was final one I was able to get out before needing to take a break, and properly mourn the amazing grandmother I had just lost. And the idea of writing this chapter, and the next chapter made me want to throw up as well. You also may have noticed I've been very focused on my other stories, and that's because most of them did not deal with major character death allowing me to focus on them. But now I think I'm in position to finally move to this chapter, and the next. Again, thank you for being patient in waiting for it.
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> The next chapter is going to be fun. And might be awhile before I get to the next purely for which mission it is. Enjoy.

The words Dutch says to Arthur the next day nearly sends the dead into another angry fit. “Well, at least you ain’t run off.” Dutch growls pretending as if he hadn’t left Arthur to die not two days ago.

“What you talking about?”

“Pearson left, old Uncle… the traitors. Both gone at dawn. They said to young Tilly they were running to save themselves. I think Mary-Beth left too.” Kieran sighs in relief, and it’s loud enough to have Sean snickering, and the other man become flustered.

“So it goes.”

“They are goddamn cowards. Arthur. Cowards.” Dutch gets up and stalks towards the other man. “Of all the time we spent, to run off…”

“Well, I guess they don’t wanna die, Dutch.”

“Ain’t nobody gonna…” Dutch pauses and drags Arthur to the other side of the tent, closer to the cave. Another coughing fit breaks from Arthur’s chest. “This is a tough time, and you ain’t, you ain’t doing too well, but we, our community we will survive.” Doubt rumbles through the dead, because there’s two chairs left, and one belongs to Arthur. “They will not crush us.”

“I hope so, but, if we let Jack, and the women free, well maybe then we can---” Duch glances around throwing up his hands as he does.

“There ain’t no freedom for no one in this country no more, Arthur. One more big score, we got enough money to leave. All this turmoil has the army and the Pinkertons spinning. We take a boat, and we slip away.”

“I don’t know what you’re saying, Dutch, but it seems like I’ve heard it all before.”

“Just one more train.”

“And there’s always a goddamn train.” Arthur half yelled breaking into another fit.

“Arthur. This is different.” Dutch attempted to soothe. “We know this is full of cash. Army payroll. Money and supplies to repair the bridge that you blew. This is all going to plan. We rob Uncle Sam, and we leave. The poetry of it all. What do you think?”

“It sounds wonderful. Hell, yeah, I ain’t got much to lose,” Arthur gestures to some of the camp members, “but you know the women and the children, a-and John a-a-and his family I’m afraid I have to insist. We gotta let them go. ‘Cause if the Pinkertons come through again they will kill everyone.”

“John?” Dutch whispered. “Insist?”

“Yeah.” Arthur spoke taking in a breath before repeating, “Insist.”

“Of course pal, whatever you think is best. I will see to it. Now, we gonna go rob a train?”

“Sure.”

“We will survive. We will flourish.” The two headed over to the group around a dying fire. “We have work to do my friends, let’s go. Come on, we are gonna borrow a little money from old Uncle Sam and be out of his hair, once and for all.” Everyone follows Dutch to the horses, the dead hear Dutch mutter angrily, “He insists upon it. Insists…”

Lenny shook his head watching the group ride out. “He didn’t like Arthur questioning him at all.” Glancing to Hosea, he can’t help but ask, “Did Dutch ever like Arthur questioning him? I mean, Arthur’s always been loyal.”

“He did, but,” Hosea swallowed before letting his shoulders drop with the sigh, “I think over the years not quite as much. And,” Hosea gestures to the fire, “it’s obvious now he loathes the idea.” Nervously, everyone’s gaze returns to the sight of the gang riding down towards Saint Denis. After some conversation about the plan to rob the train, Dutch orders John to grab the dynamite, and Arthur says something about going with John. Arthur ignores Dutch’s biting remark to him.

The brothers stop near the wagon, and another coughing fit breaks free from Arthur’s chest. The question ‘how much longer’ is on the tip of everyone’s tongue, yet no one dares to breathe it out. John starts to say he’ll grab the dynamite, but Arthur’s quick to do it himself. Grabbing a couple of sticks, the brothers take off talking Abigail knowing where Dutch keeps the gang’s money.

“They’re really thinking about it.” Lenny murmurs yet he can’t blame the two. Dutch’s descent into utter madness has caused a rift in the gang. More coughing from Arthur as he speaks about how he’s going to try and get everyone out that can be saved. The thought saddens everyone, but there’s nothing they can do. All they can do is wait for when Arthur, and whoever the last chair is, joins them.

For now, Arthur and John meet up with the gang, and the party rides back into Saint Denis. Dutch wonders if they have any objections to the plan, but neither brother says that they actually do. A small argument breaks out between Micah and John before Dutch barks at them to keep quiet.

Arriving at the train tracks, Dutch goes through another round of orders and plans, and it’s not long before the train appears, but never pausing to stop.

“Should I just… sneak on?” Arthur sarcastically questioned leading Dutch to turn around and order everyone to mount up. With a growl, Arthur mounts his horse chasing the train with the others.

“Jump!” John yells before jumping from his horse to the train. They watch as Arthur manages to make the jump, but he’s slower to move to cover, a soft groan leaving his lips. The brothers make their way through the train cars bullets heeding their arrival towards the front where John says the money is. They can see Sadie and the other man on the roof of one of the train cars helping mow down the soldiers.

Arthur comments on how it doesn’t feel like the old days prompting John to ask if he feels like ditching now. Arthur grunts out a no before taking out another soldier. The brothers push up again with more soldiers falling dead. The army stands no chance against the team John and Arthur make. The two overpower another soldier who falls to ground firing at a lamp which starts a blaze. Just as the flames start to overwhelm the car, and force John and Arthur to stop, Dutch and the others finally arrive on horseback. Some of the dead let out breaths they didn’t know they had been holding. Even with Dutch going crazy, the dead knew he wouldn’t abandon anyone in front of those left.

“We can’t get through the smoke!” John cried before Bill calls for John to jump onto the back of Brown Jack. Arthur jumps onto the back of the Count seconds later. They spur their horses faster allowing to Arthur and John to jump back to the next car. Arthur orders John to uncouple the carriage on fire before it kills them all. John moves to do so only for the group to hear a soldier call out that the train is being robbed. The brothers see a disassembled maxim gun, and as John moves to uncouple the flaming car, he calls for Arthur to man the gun. Quick to assemble the gun, Arthur towards John. “Well done!” The group watches the detached carriage fly off the railing and explode.

“Now get on!” John calls just as a gun is fired and a bullet hits John in the right shoulder.

“John!” Arthur, Hosea, and Lenny cry together. Arthur is quick to spin on his heel and shot the soldier that surprised him.

“I’ll get John!” Dutch yells letting the Count fall back and the others still riding hot on the Count’s tail. Lenny chews his bottom lip in worry.

“Do you think he’s going to get John, leave John, or is John going to join us by the time Dutch gets to him?”

“I don’t know,” Hosea responds back, his tone and body language void of all emotion. He doesn’t know his lover anymore. Doesn’t know what the man is thinking.

“If he leaves John behind, I’m going to find a way to give Old Dutch a fist from the grave,” Sean growled. Returning their gaze to the fire, they see Arthur has taken ahold of the gun, and fire into the soldiers still chasing the train. The gun makes short work of them, and clearing the way for the group on the train to get the money. With no more resistance, the three make their way easily to the carriage holding the money. Arthur is quick to pace dynamite onto the door, light it, and move back. And when he finally enters, he glances around.

“We got something,” He whispers before turning around and yelling again, “We got something!” Sadie and the other man joins him at the door. “Catch,” Arthur called throwing a bag at the guy who lifts it up with a laugh. Arthur comments there’s more, and throws another bag at the guy who catches the new bag as well. They collect as much as they can before Bill appears announcing the driver’s death.

“Okay, let’s go,” Sadie says beginning to toss the bags over the side, the others following. Once the bags hit the group, the four quickly jump off the train which falls into the river from the hole John and Arthur had blown earlier. The group watches the train fall before heading back down the tracks, and joined by the others. They don’t see John, but John hasn’t joined the dead leading the dead to wonder, where’s John?

“Where’s John?” Arthur asks seeing Dutch ride up to him.

“I tried… I tried,” Dutch replied.

“He didn’t make it,” Micah finished. “That patrol killed him, we had to run.”

“No,” Hosea breathed panic filling his chest, “No that’s a lie. John’s not here. He can't be dead.”

“It’s gotta be a lie!” Lenny hissed watching Arthur mount up with soft pants. “It’s gotta be a lie!” They don’t know if John is truly dead, or what to believe. All they know is that John’s not with them.


	14. Red Dead Redemption

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope I did this entire chapter justice. Please enjoy, or enjoy as much as you can.

Despite the gang’s successful heist, the dead grow ever more worried. John hasn’t appeared either in the land of the living, or land of the dead. They don’t know where he’s at, the only one who might know is Dutch and Micah, and as far as the dead can tell the two are lying. But as the gang reaches closer to Beaver Hollow, the voice they hear sends another round of shivers down their spines.

“They came and took Abigail!” Tilly cried riding up to the group with Jack in front of her. “I saved Jack, we hid, but they took Abigail.”

“Who did?” Arthur questioned.

“Agent Milton and his men took her to Van Horn to be put on a boat and tried for murder.”

“I am sorry to hear that,” Dutch says shaking his head.

“We gotta let her go,” Micah chimes in, and the dead lean forward almost unbelieving the words they’re hearing. “John’s a… well… sorry, son. Without John, she’s just bait, got a bunch of money, Dutch. She’s just a girl, they won’t do nothing to her. But, me and the boys know we need to keep riding on this one, Dutch, you know it, every man here knows it.” Hosea can feel his anger rising once more for the woman he considers a daughter-in-law.

“So we just gonna let the boy be made an orphan?” Arthur hissed.

“It-It ain’t like that!” Dutch deflected.

“What is it like?”

“I wanna live, cowpoke, I still got the choice. Dutch, it’s just a girl.” They can see the shock on Arthur’s face looking between Dutch and Tilly.

“You’re right,” Dutch agreed, and Hosea wants to kill Dutch right then and there.

“Dutch!” Arthur called dismounting from his horse.

“Micah…” Dutch starts, but stops when Arthur stands next to the Count. “It pains me to say it, Arthur, but he is right.”

“Dutch!”

“Come on boys.” They watched in pure disbelief as everyone but Tilly and Sadie ride off.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Sean hissed. “You guys burned down the Braithwaite Manor for Jack, but Dutch refuses to go get Abigail?” No one knows how to answer Sean about Dutch’s odd decisions anymore as he kicks his chair away from the group. All they can do is watch the dust start another coughing fit for Arthur.

Spitting, Arthur hoarsely says, “Well I guess that's that then... all them goddamn years.”

“Come on Arthur, let’s go get her,” Sadie speaks up. “You and me is all we need.”

Nodding, Arthur walking over to his horse calls out, “Miss Tilly, here.” He takes the bag from his horse and puts it on the back of hers. “Take this. You take this money too. Take Jack and you wait at Copperhead Landing for Abigail and Missus Adler.”

“Thank you, Arthur,” Tilly responds pocketing the money Arthur has given her.

“You’re a good girl,” Arthur speaks give two nods of his head, “you live a good life now, you hear?”

“Alright, Arthur. I’ll… I’ll miss…”

“Me too, sweetheart, me too.” He glances at Jack before coming closer to the horse. “Jack, come here, be brave son. I’m gonna go get your momma,” Arthur promises softly before stepping back. “Missus Adler, ride with me!” The two take off planning as they ride hard to Van Horn. Arthur starts to curse the gang, but Sadie quickly interrupts him reminding him to just follow her, and it’ll be okay.

“Sadie has turned out to be quite the woman,” Lenny says glancing over to Hosea. “When we first picked her up, she was pretty depressed and scared after everything that happened. Now look at her.” But before Hosea could respond, they heard Arthur speak up again.

“Now he don’t care if he orphans his friend’s child so long as he gets rich? All his goddamn talk all them years. Seems like it was always a lie. Or he went crazy… what a mess.”

“Sure… guess he began to believe he was God, or something.”

“I don’t know. I’m sorry you got dragged into this… into… us.”

“Listen, if you hadn’t shown up at my house that night, I’d be dead. And even this bullshit beats dead.”

“I don’t know about that,” Kieran muttered from his spot.

“I thought I could find a way to get John, Abigail, and Jack out of this mess. To give them… a life. Seems I left it too late.”

“If we could still get Abigail… maybe her and Jack will be okay.”

“John, Hosea, Mac, Davey, Jenny, Sean, Lenny, Kieran,” Arthur starts growing angier as he lists names, “we have to put an end to this.” Arthur pauses his speech to cough and wheeze. “And Eagle Flies. Another angry fool he used, just like he did with the rest of us.”

“Like I said, Arthur, we don’t need them. We’re going to make this right, me and you together, what’s left of it. Now come on.” The two ride harder to the south exit of Van Horn. The dead are silent as they watch the two draw closer. “Okay, here we are. Let’s ditch the horses and come up with a plan.” They watch Arthur shoo his horse away as Sadie takes a rifle of her saddle. There’s another round of coughing from Arthur and they watch him spit out something, most likely blood. “How you feeling?”

“I’m okay.”

“I think you should cover me and I’ll go in there and get her,” Sadie spoke holding a rifle towards Arthur. They watch Arthur look offended and Sadie quickly corrects herself, “‘Cause you’re the better shot, I mean.”

“That ain’t what you mean. I can still fight!”

“I know, Arthur. But, just…” She thrusted the rifle at Arthur, “do it my way, honey. It’s for the best. Get up some place high, like the lighthouse or something... and cover me. Please.” Arthur takes the rifle from her.

“Okay,” He says moving towards the lighthouse, and they watch Sadie take another gun off her horse, before sending him away.

“How many guns does that woman have?” Sean exclaimed as they watch Arthur climb up the stairs, and aim down the scope.

“Enough to kill you if you were still there to annoy her,” Lenny shot back making Kieran giggle. Arthur reaches the top of the lighthouse and starts muttering to himself trying to find Milton preventing Sean from snapping back. And they all watch Milton roughly push Abigail into a building. Shaking his head, Arthur turns the scope to see where Sadie is, and that’s when the gun fire starts with Arthur firing a round into an agent’s head.

It’s messy, and it’s quick between Arthur covering Sadie in the lighthouse, and Sadie charging down the street guns blazing. But their hearts stop briefly when they see Sadie reach the building, open the door, and get knocked down.

“Okay, Mister Milton, I guess we’re gonna have to talk this out like gentlemen,” Arthur spits dropping the rifle on the ground and heading back down. More agents pour out the buildings, and they wince hearing Arthur’s breathing as he runs towards the town. And on his own, with how sick he is, Arthur still proves he can mow down an entire force by himself as each agent drops like flies.

Reaching the building, Arthur kicks open the door, the world goes red, and both agents in the room are gunned down. “Holy hell, what was that?” Sean shouts unable to believe what he’s seen.

“Okay, ladies, let’s get out of here,” Arthur says hostlering his gun, and taking out his knife to get Abigail free from the ropes. The sound of a gun clicking stops Arthur from doing so.

“Calm down, Mister Morgan,” Agent Milton speaks coming out of the shadows. Coughing comes from Arthur while he raises his hands. “That’s quite a cough,” Milton observes.

“Sure,” Arthur agreed turning to face him. “Tuberculosis,” He confirms softly, and the reminder makes Hosea’s heart hurt. “I’ll be dead soon and you with me, Mister Milton.”

“You’ll be dead, sure,” Milton replied watching Arthur cough, “but I’m going to be just fine. We offered you a deal, Mister Morgan, you should have taken it.” While Milton is distracted by Arthur, he doesn’t see Abigail trying to free herself from the ropes.

“I’m a fool, Mister Milton.”

“Not all you boys have quite so many scruples. Old Micah Bell…”

“Micah?” Several people shouted along with Arthur’s soft voice. “You mean Molly?”

“Molly O’Shea? We sweated her a couple of times, never talked a word, so we had to let her go.” Heads turn to the quiet woman each face holding several emotions. “Micah Bell,” Milton continues unaware of the dead watching, “we picked him up when you boys came back from the Carribean, and he’s been a good boy ever since.”

“Okay, okay,” Arthur wheezes seemingly bracing on his knees for support. It’s a farce however, because Arthur lunges at Milton seconds later turning the fight into a scuffle for the cattleman in Milton’s hand. Milton laughs while they struggle.

“You’re losing your strength, Mister Morgan,” He taunts while the gun slowly drops toward Arthur.

“You’re still a yapping dog, Mister Milton,” Arthur says even as the gun inches closer to his face. And just when the gun is leveled at his face, a gunshot rings out and Milton falls to the side. Abigail stands there gun in hand having gotten free of the ropes.

“Horrible man,” Abigail says while Arthur goes through another coughing fit. She moves to untie Sadie, and Arthur slides down the door frame. “Now come on, both of you.” Abigail hands Arthur back his knife before helping him stand up.

“Find the horses, we need to get the hell out of here,” Arthur orders gunshot breaking out.

“What happened to Jack? Where is he?”

“He’s fine… Tilly’s got him.”

“Oh, thank God.” The horses appear at the end of the walkway.

“Abigail, you ride mine,” Sadie orders mounting Arthur’s horse. “Get on, Arthur, get on.” After Arthur gets on wheezing, the group turns out of Van Horn and towards the forest. Pinkertons chase them but their attempts to catch them fail with each round of Arthur’s gun. And it’s not long before the Pinkertons taper off leaving the group to ride further without interruption.

“The bastards grabbed me outside camp… I was with Tilly and Jack, it happened so fast I couldn’t do anything.”

“It’s alright… Jack and Tilly are fine.”

“Ladies,” Arthur’s starts sounding utterly exhausted, “La… Ladies I-I’m fine. Hold up a moment.” They stop and Arthur struggles to get off the horse making the dead wonder how much longer he has left.

“Arthur, there’s no time.”

“There’s time,” He pants moving to get Abigail off his horse.

“What happened to John?” Abigail asks noticing he’s not come to meet them. “Where’s John?” Arthur’s hands drop.

“I-I don’t… I think…” Arthur starts, stops, before raising his hands and getting Abigail off his horse.

“Arthur…”

“He…” Arthur begins again, a waver in his voice as he does.

“What?”

“He got killed, or he got captured.”

“No.”

“I’m really sorry, Abigail, I’m… I was on the train and I didn’t see it.” Their hearts lurch hearing Abigail cry out as Sadie rushes to wrap her in her arms. “Listen, we got Jack, he’s safe. Missus Adler will take you to him, but John, I want you to know this, he loved you. He loved you and Jack, he did. He wasn’t perfect but he did. Now you gotta go get that boy. Go on, get outta here.” Pushing the two away, they watch Sadie mount her horse.

“Arthur, what are you doing?”

“I gotta go have a little chat before I get much sicker,” He replies moving to help Abigail onto Sadie’s horse.

“Oh, Arthur…”

“Don’t you ‘oh, Arthur’ me. Neither of you two, not now. You both know.” Grunting with effort, he places Abigail onto the back of Sadie’s horse. “You’re good women, good people. The best. You go get that boy, there’ll be time for sorrow later.”

“If you’re headed back there, Arthur,” Abigail starts grabbing a key from her neck. “Take this, I don’t need it anymore.” She reaches out with the key.

“What’s that?”

“There’s a chest in them caves. In the back to the left. Hidden under a wagon. Dutch’s chest. With all our money. I know John told you I knew where it was.”

“Abigail Roberts,” Arthur breathed taking the key before grabbing her hands.

“I always was a good thief.”

“That you was. Go on, get outta here.” Arthur turns to mount his horse as Sadie and Abigail leave. With a loud grunt, Arthur mounts soft wheezing leaving his chest while he takes the reins. Reaching into his saddlebag, he takes out a familiar hat sending Hosea into a small fit of panic while the other dead slowly start to realize that they’re about to what Arthur’s last ride. Placing his hat on his head, Arthur kicks his into a lope towards Beaver Hollow.

A female voice whispers out as Arthur travels down the road, _“Why, you’re a good man. I just wish you’d done it before he worked hisself into the grave.”_

__

__

The doctor’s voice. _“I’m really sorry for you, son, it’s a hell of a thing.”_

Another woman’s voice. _“And now all you can do now is decide the man you wanna be for the time you have left.”_

Another man’s voice. _“You saved my life, you’re a good man.”_

And another. _“Thank you, feller. You know, there ain’t enough kindness in this world, that’s for sure.”_

And another woman’s. _“Maybe it’s a sign, Arthur… try… try to do the good thing.”_

Their breaths caught in their throats, the dead watch Arthur complete his final ride to Beaver’s Hollow where the camp is being packed up and a voice reignites their rage.

“Get them bags packed up quick, Miss Grimshaw. Come on, all of you!”

“Well we’re doing our best!”

“We ain’t got long, hurry!”

“We just got plenty of time, Micah,” Arthur growls making everyone turn to him. “We all need to have a little chat.”

“Black Lung, you’re back. Hooray.”

“I just saw Agent Milton, Dutch,” Arthur says after dismounting and heading towards the outlaw leader. “Abigail shot him. She’s okay, not that you care too much about that. You rats,” Arthur spits looking Micah and his pals,”all of you. Seems old Micah was pretty close with Milton.”

“What the hell are you talking about, cowpoke?”

“You talked.”

“That’s a goddamn lie.”

“Dutch…” Arthur starts but Micah interjects.

“Dutch… think of the future.”

“Milton told me.” Rage seems to form on Dutch’s face.

“And you believe him, Black Lung?” Micah asks chuckling. “You believe him?”

“It all makes sense now.”

“No, it damn well doesn’t.” Arthur and Micah pull their guns out, and they can see Micah’s friends, and Bill have too. No sign of Javier in this mess.

“Dutch, think!” Arthur pleads.

“Dutch, be practical now.” Glancing between the two, Dutch seems unsure of who to believe. And all tension is broken by the sound of a familiar raspy voice.

“Dutch!”

“John?” Bill questioned as John staggers in clutching the arm he had been shot in.

“You left me… you left me to die!” He hissed bringing an uproar to the dead.

“He lied!” Lenny and Sean shouted while Hosea gritted his teeth, and shock took over the expression of Kieran’s and Molly’s faces.

“My boy,” Dutch began coming out of his tent, “I didn’t have a choice. John, I didn’t… I didn’t have a choice...”

“Bullshit!” Hosea spat spooking the others. “You had a choice Dutch!”

“You. Left me!” John repeated.

“All of you,” Arthur speaks up, “You pick your side now, because this is over. All them years, Dutch, for this snake?”

“Oh, be quiet, cowpoke. Be quiet, you live in the clouds.”

“No. You be quiet, Mister Bell, and put down your gun,” Susan snaps walking up with her shotgun in hand. They see Javier run in drawing everyone’s attention to him. 

“There’s Pinkertons coming, fast.” Susan looks at Javier, and a gunshot from Micah sounds out followed by Susan’s scream of pain. They knew now who would be joining them as the seventh seat, and no doubt Arthur would join soon after. Dutch pulls out his gun as Susan goes down.

“Now!” They hear him shout with Susan wailing in pain. Walking down the middle between the group, Dutch has both of his guns pointed at each group, and they hear Susan’s cries of pain stop, and they know she’ll join them soon. “Who amongst you is with me, and who is betraying me.” His gaze focuses on Arthur and John.

“Bill, Javier,” Arthur pleads as he and his brother stand before the caves, “think, think for yourselves!” But the two men stay on Dutch’s side along with the others.

“He’s lying, he’s lying!” Micah says.

“Put your guns down!” A voice shouts followed by a gunshot breaking the group from its incoming fight. The Pinkertons had arrived.

“Goddamn it! Move!” Dutch curses while the group scatters to the side and John and Arthur hunker down.

“You ready, John?”

“Yeah.”

“Everyone get down!”

“This is Agent Ross with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Put your guns down.” Micah shouts at Dutch they need to leave before adding the agents are all Arthur’s.

“Come on, Arthur! Into the caves. Quick!” John shouts over the gunfire, and the brothers depart into the caves. Glancing over his shoulder, Hosea sees Susan has finally joined them.

Standing up, he kneels next to her to gently shake her shoulder. “Susan,” He says soft watching her eyes fly open.

“Hosea,” She greets him while he helps her stand up. Pulling him into a hug, she whispers, “It’s good to see. The gang… Dutch…”

“I know,” He replied returning the hug before bringing her over to the campfire where John and Arthur have slipped deeper into the caves, and the others sit. Molly warily glances over to Susan. “We’ve been watching for a while. We’ve seen everything. Sean’s been watching since he died.”

“I see,” Susan replied shakily eyes half on the scene of Arthur and John climbing up a ladder, and half on Molly. “Miss O’Shea, I’m… sorry.”

“It’s okay, Miss Grimshaw, I’m not angry anymore. You did what you thought was right.” Molly’s gaze returns to the fire signalling the conversation has ended. Sitting next to Hosea’s other side, the group quiets to watch John and Arthur, who’s coughing more.

“Hosea, what sickness does Arthur have?” Susan asked nervously.

“Tuberculosis,” He informs her solemnly. “We suspect he’ll be joining us soon.”

“Oh no,” Susan whispered bringing one hand to her mouth, the other gipping Hosea’s for comfort. Hosea can only squeeze her hand back in response as the two brothers have climbed out of the caves.

Whistling for their horses, Arthur coughs before speaking, “Abigail… Abigail’s safe, so’s Jack.”

“Where are they?”

“They’re with Sadie at Copperhead Landing.” John reaches to shake Arthur’s hand.

“Thank you, brother.” John attempts to pull away from Arthur, but the man pulls him back.

“I want you to not look back, like I said,” Arthur said before pulling away, and jogging to the horses with John, another cough following. Just as they mount, they see the sight of Micah and Dutch firing at John and Arthur. The brothers take off with their former father figure and ex-gang members chasing them through the fog and the dribbling rain. They can hear shouting from the group, and John urging Arthur to ride, but no one can bring themselves to speak.

The brothers dodge the group, the Pinkertons and ride up a hill only for their horses to be shot from underneath them. The dead tense watching Arthur quickly kill the agents firing at them. Once the agents fall, Arthur falls to his knees at his horse’s side.

“Come on, brother, let’s go,” John urges.

“Gimme a second,” Arthur replies placing his hand on the horse’s nose.

“Come on, push Arthur!”

“Yeah,” Arthur whispers petting the horse, “Whoa… thank you.” Once the horse’s last breath is taken, Arthur stumbles after John, and up the small hill.

“Come on, Arthur, let’s go.”

“Well, what about the money?” Arthur gestures with his hat. “Abigail gave me the key.”

“I head down there, I’m dead in five minutes. I’ve got a family, that’s more important.” Despite the fact he’s watching his family rip apart, and one of his sons is dying, it pleases Hosea to hear those words from John’s mouth.

“Ah, maybe you right, but…”

“You want the money? You head down. I gotta go to my family.” They watch Arthur place his hat on his again.

“I’m coming with you. I’m going to get you out of this bullshit if it’s the last goddamn thing I do.” The two start to run up the hill now.

“Thank you.” Gun fire sounds to the left of the brother. “Aw shit, let’s go, we need to find higher ground. Don’t worry about them, they’ll just be going back for the money. We need to get the hell out of here. Shit.” A group of riders passes by the rocks. “Let’s get up this cliff.”

“You go…”

“Come on, Arthur… keep pushing.” As they climb up the cliff side, a group of Pinkertons notice them and begin firing on the two brothers forcing them to take cover and return fire. The two manage to take a few out before deciding to keep pushing, however once they climb over a small bit, Arthur stops hands on knees. “Alright, Arthur, come on,” John urged.

“You go…”

“Keep pushing, Arthur.”

“No…” Arthur coughs spitting out more blood. “No… I think I’ve pushed all I can,” He announces rubbing something off his face and looking at John. Susan’s hand squeezes tighter around Hosea’s, and the others tense. Arthur will be joining them soon.

“Come on,” John breathed.

“You go.”

“We ain’t got time for this, not now.” Arthur removes his hat.

“We ain’t both gonna make it. Go… now.” Arthur takes a step closer to John. “I’ll hold them off.” Reaching up, the group watches Arthur place his hat, his beloved hat, onto John’s head. “It would mean a lot to me, please.” And they watch as Arthur takes his satchel off and give it to John. “There ain’t no more time for talk.” Hosea can feel his throat close involuntary as he watches Arthur pull out his pistol. “Go.”

“Arthur…” John pleads.

“Go to your family.”

“Arthur!”

“Get the hell out of here and be a goddamn man!” Arthur shouts before starting to climb up the cliff.

“You’re my brother,” John repeats.

“I know, I know,” Arthur replies crawling up the cliff more forcing John to leave Arthur. “God damn you bastards!” Arthur cries firing at the Pinkertons and providing John time to escape. Several agents go down, and the dead watch Micah slam into Arthur.

“I got you now, Black Lung,” Micah cried gleefully turning Arthur over and getting ready to punch.

“You rat! You rat!” Arthur shouts back.

“I’m a,” Micah begins punching Arthur in the face, “survivor, Black Lung, a survivor.” The watch helplessly as Micah punches Arthur repeatedly. “That’s all there is, living and dying.” Arthur manages to reach up and grab Micah’s neck allowing him to push the two of them over the side, and onto the lower cliff. They watch the two rise from their fall a loud wheeze escaping Arthur before Micah and Arthur engage into a fist fight, snide comments traded.

The fist fights lasts for several minutes until Micah has Arthur pinned, however the dying the outlaw manges to block several hits before slamming his fist into Micah’s face forcing the man off. Arthur crawls onto his hands and knees crawling towards the fallen gun as Micah goes on about losing and winning. Just as Arthur is about to reach the gun, Micah grabs him from behind and slams him into the rock. Arthur slams his hand into Micah’s face, and both men fall to the ground again, sending the gun flying away. With a wheeze, Arthur again crawls onto his hands and knees towards the gun.

“Oh, Black Lung, you ain’t gonna reach that gun. You ain’t. You lost, my sick friend. You lost.”

“In the end, Micah,”Arthur wheezed still crawling, “despite my efforts to the contrary, it turns out I’ve won.” He manages to crawl to the gun, Micah slowly following behind like a shadow. “Goddamn you,” He wheezes hand gripping the gun only for a boot to step on his hand.

“It is over now, Arthur,” Dutch speaks foot on the man he called his son’s hand. “It’s over.”

“Oh, Dutch,” Arthur replies voice weak and hoarse, “he’s a rat. You know it and I know it.”

“He’s sick,” Micah speaks stepping closer, “he’s dying, he’s talking crazy.”

“There! Up there on the ridge!” A detective’s voice calls out.

“I gave you all I had, I did.” Dutch tilts his head to the side.

“I…” He stares down at Arthur’s battered body before stepping off his hand. “I…” Dutch tries again watching the dying outlaw turn onto his back, another wheeze escaping his throat.

“Come on.” The dead watch Micah inch forward while Dutch continues to stare at Arthur. “Dutch, let’s go buddy. We made it. We won. Come on!” Dutch stares at Micah for a second, before glancing back down at Arthur.

“John made it. He’s the only one. The rest of us, no. But, I tried. In the end, I did.” More wheezing slips from Arthur’s chest.

“Come on,” Micah starts again grabbing Dutch’s attention, “let’s go. We can make it.” But Dutch doesn’t move, his attention is on Arthur who’s wheezing softly, then back at Micah before Dutch steps back and walks away Micah pleading with him to come on.

“Again?” Sean and Lenny yelled. Once Dutch has disappeared from view, they watch Micah yell and walk off.

“He can't even stay there with Arthur?” Sean asked gesturing at the fire with his hands.

“No, he can’t,” Lenny spat. “Called Arthur his son for years, and leaves him to die by himself.” But to their surprise, slowly Arthur rolls onto his hands and knees crawling forward with effort. Arthur makes it a couple inches laying against the rock spending his last breaths watching the sunrise, and their hearts drop. They had a slight amount of hope he would crawl away.

Standing, Hosea moves to the spot where everyone has appeared once dead. He knows Arthur will be here soon, and he wants to greet his son. And sure enough, Arthur fades into the land of the dead the moment Hosea steps near. Kneeling, he places his hand on Arthur’s chest. “Arthur, my son,” Hosea said softly watching as Arthur’s eyes fly open.

“Ho-Hosea, pa, I…” Arthur chokes out his hand flying to grab Hosea’s.

“I know, son. I know. You did well.” Helping Arthur up, he turns to face the group who are watching the two with smiles. “You did so well, and I’m proud of you.” The hug is sudden, but Hosea can’t help but smile as Arthur’s arms wrap around his waist. Returning the hug, he sends Susan a soft smile. “Come on, everyone’s waiting for you.”

“Everyone…?” Arthur turns to look where Hosea is staring, and when he sees the group, his heart stops. “Susan, Lenny, Sean, Kieran, Molly…” He breathed stepping closer. “Everyone, I’m sorry. I couldn’t…” Susans gets up and places her hand over his mouth.

“You did good, Arthur. We all know it. It’s okay.” A cough interrupts them, and they turn to see a stranger in a three piece suit, a finely trimmed mustache, and a top heart.

“As I said, Mister Macguire, you would be watching for a while. And now you have.” He turns to Arthur, “And you, Mister Morgan, have redeemed yourself. Not by a lot, but you have. Congratulations.” The stranger tapped his cane twice, and the fire disappeared and the void turned into a bar. “For now, you will wait. There's more to the story that unfolds, but time in the land of the living must pass. Enjoy.” The man faded leaving the dead to gather and catch up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're almost halfway done with the story. Once we get through Rdr 2's epilogue, we will be half way done. I don't know what the exact number of chapters that are left, but I do know we're half-way done.


	15. Interlude Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know someone of you were wishing I would show the stranger missions, so I made this quick little chapter before I start writing the rdr2 epilogue missions I want the dead to watch. Next chapter is the start of the epilogue. Enjoy!

Sean shivered a bit once the strange man had faded. “Creepy bastard,” He muttered moving the bar. “Now!” He grinned over his shoulder while staring at Arthur. “Let’s drink and interrogate Arthur. I’ve got things burning in my mind, and you’ve got the answers.”

“Oh God,” Arthur sighed from his spot next to Hosea while glancing up and wondering aloud if he could die a second time. His Pa chuckles (although Arthur notes it’s pain laced, and that he probably shouldn’t have said that considering he had just died), pats his shoulder before gently guiding his son towards the bar.

“Come on, least the beer is free, son.” Nudging his son forward with his questions burning in his mind, Hosea let out a silent sigh trying to stop the slight shaking of his hands. Head racing, he decides he’ll pull Arthur aside later when his son’s death isn’t so recent, and when the others have decided to stop pestering his beloved son with questions.

Taking a seat next to Arthur, and Susan on his left, everyone watches as beer appears in front of them. “Oh, I could get used to this!” Sean grinned giddily before taking a swig of beer without hesitating making several people chuckle softly. Letting out a small burp, which makes Susan scoff at his poor manners, Sean lets his boisterous personality fade away into something more serious. “It’s good to see you, Arthur. It is.”

“It’s good to see you again, Sean. The camp wasn’t the same without your antics, to be honest,” Arthur confessed, allowing himself to be seen vulnerable around his fellow dead. They had seen him at his lowest, and his highest before dying. There wasn’t any need to hide away from something they had already seen. “I’m sorry I was able to spare you from being killed.” Sean waved him off.

“It’s the past now, Arthur.” Several people nodded their heads in agreement. “You did good, Arthur. Getting John, Abigail, and Jack out. Getting Tilly out. It’s not your fault things happened the way they did.” Lenny clapped Sean on the back.

“He’s right, Arthur. What happened, we all had a part in it. Maybe more than others, but we all did, and I don’t regret spending my time with the gang. Well, maybe that night at Valentine, but other than that, it was a good time, with all of you,” Lenny said raising his drink to clink it with the other’s glasses.

“Hear, hear,” Several people agreed.

“Aye, it was. Could have used another manor burning down before you left Rhodes, but as I told Kieran, I’m alright with the Braithwathe’s manor being burned down after they took Jack.” Placing his drink down, Sean let his hands splay out in front of him while he leaned forward. “But now? We’ve got questions, and you’ve got answers. Like, how the hell did you meet a nun?” Sean asked eyes wide making Arthur smile and the others softly chuckle.

“Well, while we were in Saint Denis, I ran across this brother who was taking donations for the poor. Turned out there were some poor bastards locked in the fence’s basement. For a slave trade if you can believe it. Helped get those people out, and under the care of the brother, I donated to. Brother Dorkins, I think his name was.”

“Of course there was a slave trade in Saint Denis,” Lenny quietly mutters behind his hand. “Almost surprised there wasn’t one in Rhodes, but then again, Saint Denis is easy to get lost in.”

“Well,” Arthur scratched his chin. “There was this one guy in Rhodes, but let me finish answering Sean’s question. Anyways, a few days later, I met with the brother in the slums by a church. He and Sister Cauldron were teaching some people to read, a bunch of kids. While she came to greet me, one of the kids took off with her crucifix, and I went and got it back for her. Meet her a few more times after that till… till I saw at Emerald Ranch’s station.”

“Is that some of the stuff you were up to when you were out and about?” Miss Grimshaw asked eyebrows raised. Arthur nodded with a shy smile, and feeling heat crawl up his cheeks and the back of his neck. Susan returned his smile, and he could see amusement dancing in Hosea’s eyes.

“And what about this Rhodes man?” Kieran asked resting his chin on his arms.

“One of the weirdest things I have ever seen,” Arthur replied making a face. “Almost as weird as the incest siblings I meet that drugged and robbed me, or the man dressed up a woman animal wrangler. Those were pretty weird.”

“I’m starting to think I should have gone out more with you, Arthur,” Sean piped up. “You’ve got stories I’d like to hear.”

“Well, we’ve got plenty of time. Back to the Rhodes man.” Arthur took a sip of the beer in his hand. “I was walking by the gunsmith when I heard this voice call out from below me. Glanced down to see this twenty-something-year-old man dressed in a sailor suit that you’d expect on Jack, or kid his age, and chained to the wall no less. Stopped, asked questions, turned out the gunsmith had kidnapped him. Begged me to get him out of there. So, I put on my bandana, forced the gunsmith to bring me down to his basement. The gunsmith insisted his son was sleeping down there, but I kept urging him forward. Turns out, the gunsmith kidnapped because the man looked like the son the gunsmith lost out by the river trying to teach his son how to hold the rifle properly.” Pausing, Arthur took another sip and watched the various expressions on his fellow dead. Most shook their heads in disbelief.

“It’s quite something what grief can do to a person,” Hosea spoke, and several agreed with bobs of their heads.  
“Yeah,” Lenny agreed before turning to Arthur and asking, “So you met a pair of siblings involved with each other that proceeded to drug and rob you?” Arthur nodded.

“Don’t worry, I got my money back of course. But you could imagine my surprise when I woke up hours with a corpse lying on top of me.” Several people shivered visibly.

“I don’t think I want to know,” Lenny replied shaking his head.

“And what about that woman? Miss Downes, you said when you saw her in Annesburg?” Molly hesitantly asked bringing all eyes on Arthur. Arthur sighed heavily, pain in his eyes as he ran his hand through his hair.

“She… Oh, where do I begin with her?” Glancing down at the table, Arthur swallowed trying to organize his thoughts. His fellow dead waited quietly for him to begin speaking. “So, back when we were in Horseshoe, Strauss had me doing debts. One of them was Thomas Downes, and the person I caught TB from. Miss Downes was his wife. When Downes died, she was left to figure out how to earn money to keep her and their son afloat. And they were already poor before I got the rest of the debt.” Arthur shook his head. “Anyways, met her once in Saint Denis while getting that crucifix for Sister Cauldron. The last few times I met her was in Annesburg, helping to get her and her son out of there with the money I wasn’t going to need anymore.”

“I see,” Molly whispered a thoughtful expression on her face.

Hosea waited sometime after Arthur was finished telling stories to pull him, and Susan, to a room away from the others. The other dead understood. The three of them were closer to Dutch in several ways and needed a moment to mourn the man they had loved in their own ways.

Sighing, Arthur paused in the doorway glanced between his Pa and a woman he considered in some ways to be a mother to him. Neither one spoke knowing that whatever was on Arthur’s mind, he would say it when ready. With one more glance and a hard swallow, Arthur brought the two into a hug a sob breaking from his chest. Susan and Hosea shared tearful smiles hugging the man considered their son.

“God, Pa, Ma, Da-Dutch, he…” Arthur trailed off breaking into another round of sobs.

“We know, son, we know,” Susan soothed along with Hosea. “There’s nothing we could have done to change Dutch from the path he’s gone down now.”

“I don’t know, Ma, I don’t know,” Arthur spoke against her shoulder, a free hand wrapped with both of Hosea’s. “I thought I could speak to him. I thought I was his most beloved son, and yet… and yet he left me behind twice. Left John behind twice.” The hurt he felt in his chest he wasn’t sure he could describe to the other two, but he knew they would understand.

“So did we, son,” Hosea murmured bringing one of his hands to rub at the back of Arthur’s neck. “When we saw him leave you behind everyone present grew angry. And I, hah, I wanted to kill him, son. Haven’t felt that way in a long time.” Arthur smiles weakly and tearfully at him.

“No doubt he’ll be getting an earful from you if he ever comes here soon.”

“Oh yes,” Hosea rumbled darkly. “He will. I can forgive him for a lot of things, Arthur, but leaving you behind, leaving John behind? I’m not sure I can. But, let’s not think about that for now.” He moved to the table that appeared in the room. “Let us mourn the man he once was, the man he loved as a lover,” He gestured with a hand towards Susan, “as a father,” Hosea looked to Arthur, “and as a husband.” He finished referring to himself.

“Yeah,” His son sniffed pulling away from Susan and wiping the tears from his face. “Let’s do that.”


	16. The Wheel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the beginning of Rdr2's epilogue. Next chapter will come out when I know which ones I want to do besides the obvious American Venom mission. Enjoy!

They didn’t know how much time had passed in the land of the living just that Strauss and Karen had joined them one day. Neither one wished to speak about their deaths at first, but then opened eventually. Strauss caught and tortured, and Karen drank herself to death. The reunions were bittersweet, but the dead welcomed Karen and Strauss all the same.

The only hint they were given that time had passed because the bar transformed into the campfire with their nine seats, and the strange man had returned. “Enough time has passed, another chapter begins. Enjoy,” He spoke before fading and leaving the occupants shivering slightly.

The fire roared to life when they sat down, and they saw the words _‘Several years later…’_ fade into a picture of a valley and a river. “Big Valley,” Arthur murmured. The picture flickered to a road where they saw a wagon rumbling across. Who were they following? John?

“That was close,” A woman’s voice, Abigail, spoke while the picture focused on the boy, no, Jack all grown up. The sight of a grown Jack, about ten, makes all of them sad. They hadn’t been able to see Jack grow up. But hopefully, Jack wouldn’t be pulled into anything like gun slinging or criminal activity. That was something they had all hoped for.

And they could see the backs of Abigail, and maybe John, while Jack seemed to be taking in the view. “Too close. We brought that trouble on ourselves.” The picture focused on John, and several breathed sighs of relief. John was still alive, and no new chairs had been added, but it was clear they were following John for a reason.

“By we, you mean me.”

“It wasn’t me who went and shot him.” Abigail’s words make everyone pause. What has John been doing all these years? Arthur glances at his Pa who shrugged his shoulders. Neither one knew what to say.

“It seemed like he deserved shooting.”

“I’m sure he did but I been thinking ain’t it about time you stopped being the man making them decisions.”

“I’m trying.”

“Are you?”

“I think so.”

“We gotta find some place to lie low. Keep quiet.” John sighed.

“Maybe Dutch was right, maybe we should have gone to Tahiti.” Several people groaned.

“Pa, I swear if he does something stupid, and gets himself killed and brought, I’m going to kill him myself somehow,” Arthur groaned face in hands. Hosea softly patted his son’s shoulder with a smile.

“Is that it with you? Tahiti or killing? Come on John, try.”

“Try what?”

“We gotta live somewhere for more than just a few weeks.”

“Okay, let’s see what we can find in… in Strawberry.” John turns the wagon down the road.

“I know they like good, honest, hard working men...” Sean couldn’t keep the snort to himself, but said nothing. “... a whole lot more than angry killers. So make yourself good and honest.”

“I am always honest, maybe not always good, but always honest.”

“My whole life I’ve been surrounded by fools with moral codes. Here’s a moral code, look out for folks. Stop trying to act like some hero in a book.”

“What do you know about heroes in books?”

“My reading’s getting pretty good.”

“Well read different books then.”

“The book is Jack’s… and, well… maybe he’s doing most of the reading, but still.” The dead grin at this. Jack is teaching Abigail to read, and it makes their hearts soar.

“You’re a bad influence on your mother, boy. Boy?” John calls to Jack, and several people facepalm.

“He can’t call Jack by Jack, or son?” Lenny muttered.

“Guess not,” Arthur said.

“Sorry, sir. What was that?”

“I said you’re a bad influence… on your mother… with your books.”

“Which books was that?”

“You know, that dime novel, Boy Calloway and the Men from the Moon, or whatever it is.” Hosea and Lenny groan at the title, both men not enjoying it. Susan and Arthur share a glance while the others chuckle softly. The conversation turns to Jack’s love of the Wild West, or his fading enjoyment, and the fact he’s enjoying the Knights of the Round Table more now.

“The king… what’s his name?” John asks eyes never leaving the road.

“There’s King Arthur, and there’s Sir Lancelot, and the Lady Guinevere, and a whole lot of others.”

“Those names…”

“I kind of like ‘em,” Jack confessed.

“You know what, so do I.” Silence reigns over the family the rest of the way to Strawberry. Until Abigail says the sign probably says Strawberry and she’s got a good feeling about the place. John parks in front of the general store, and they split off to find work with John heading into the general store.

“Help you, son?” The shopkeeper asks as John heads inside.

“I’m hoping I can help you. I saw the help wanted sign outside.”

“Sure, but, uh, you’re a bit old to be stacking groceries, and running errands ain’t you, son?”

“Well… uh… I ain’t too proud to do nothing. As long as it’s honest, and it pays.”

“Times hard, Mister…?”

“Milton. Jim Milton. Yeah, my wife and I, and our boy, we was robbed a few days ago. Lucky to get out with our lives we was.” It was Arthur and Hosea’s turn to groan aloud.

“Jim Milton?” Arthur turned to his Pa who shook his head.

“I failed him. I completely failed him,” Hosea muttered darkly seemingly unimpressed with John. “I knew I should have pounded the importance of good aliases into his head!”

“Well, uh, we need money.” John tried to follow the shopkeeper, but the two workers stare at him like he’s crazy, and John backs off.

“There’s bad folk out there.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

“Got a wagon by any chance?”

“Sure.”

“Well, then maybe you could run some goods up to Pronghorn Ranch for me. You know head west past Owanjila, then follow the road north. Lead you right there.”

“I… I don’t know where that is, but I’m sure I can find it. I could leave right now, if you like.”

“It’s the Geddes’ place. Fine feller. Where’s the wagon?”

“It’s just outside.” John pointed. “You know, I should I go tell my wife and then, I can come back and get loaded.”

“My boys can load you up while you find your wife.”

“Okay.” The dead watch John head across the bridge, and towards a building. The two speak about the work they’ve found, and Abigail is excited about what they’ll be doing. She suggests John go deliver the goods to the ranch then collect her after John asks what now. With a soft okay, John heads back to the wagon that’s finished being loaded.

After instructions to drive slow, John flicks the reins and heads towards the ranch. They watch him drive slowly down the road muttering the directions to himself. Eventually after some time, John, and they, see a ranch in the distance.

“Huh, that wasn’t there when I went through. A good amount of years must have passed,” Arthur spoke eyes steadily watching John. “I wonder how many.”

“Definitely more than four,” Lenny spoke seeing the size of the ranch. “A big ranch like that takes time I bet.”

“They usually do,” Hosea agreed watching John stop the wagon before a man chopping firewood.

“You Mister Geddes?” John called slipping from the wagon seat.

“No, sir. I’m Mister Dickens, his overseer.”

“Jim Milton. I’m delivering some supplies from the store in Strawberry.”

“Okay.” John glances around the ranch.

“This is quite the place.”

“Yes, it’s beautiful.” Dickens jumps onto the wagon to inspect the goods.

“They send everything?”

“Yeah, I think so.” 

“So, partner, your boss, he looking for hands?” Dickens turns to look at John, gaze sharp.

“Why? You looking for work?”

“Yeah. My wife, we was in business with her family, and turned sour. It’s a long story.”

“Oh Jesus Christ,” Arthur bemoaned. “That is the worst cover story I’ve ever seen, and I’m sure Dickens can see right through it.” Hosea places his head in hands again trying to not think about John’s ‘story’.

“Yeah, I don’t know. Married hands, it’s a lot of trouble.”

“I’m a good worker. My wife Agatha. Even our boy Lancelot…” Hosea made a noise no one knew how to describe while Arthur seemed as if he had seen everything and was done with the world as a whole. Even Kieran and Molly were shaking their heads at the name. “... we’ll all work.” Dickens picks a toolbox, and starts to speak, but another voice interrupts him.

“Big man around, boy?” Two figured walk cockily towards John’s wagon.

“Get the hell outta here.” The man laughs and places his arm on the back wagon while the other one climbs up.

“Now, that ain’t very neighborly.”

“And threatening us is?” Dickens asks putting the toolbox down while John inches closer to the pair. The other man picks up an apple in bites into it after asking if he could enjoy one. Thugs. They know thugs went they see them, and they know this could get ugly fast.

“When’s the boss man gonna sell this place, boy?” 

“I don’t think there’s any plans for that.” The man takes a drink from the wagon and offer it Dickens and John. Dickens tells them to put it down, but the men just mock him and climb up to the seat. The dead don’t like where this is going. And sure enough, the two, after some more words, drive off with John’s wagon sending Dickens tumbling into the dirt.

John calls for them to come back, and uses a horse at Dickens' direction to chase them down. They’re worried John will kill the men and blow any cover he, Abigail, and Jack will have. But, John merely stops in front of the wagon forcing the two off, and allowing him to take back both wagon and horse. And that relieves the dead of some of their worries for John and his family.

“Thank you,” Dicken starts coming off the porch. “Milton isn’t it? Those boys are out of Laramie, work for Mister Abel. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention. Listen, I ain’t looking for no charity or nothing, but I was serious. You got work, we’ll work. I can do anything.” John takes one of the crates. “We got robbed ourselves a few days back.”

“We ain’t got married hands here, you’re married.”

“We’ll work harder than any one of them,” John promised. “I’m real honest, and my wife, even though she’s got fancy thoughts, she’ll work.”

“You seem kinda desperate.” The words set the dead on edge. Dickens saw through some of the words John was saying. “What trouble you in?”

“No trouble, sir, aside from her brother. He tricked us, and robbed her of her inheritance. We’re good people. We’ll work, even Lancelot.” Dickens snorts.

“What does Mister Geddes need with a boy? Just another mouth to feed.”

“Just please give us a chance. I can handle myself okay, you know that already.”

“Yeah, makes me wonder just who would have robbed you.” 

“He doesn't believe John at all,” Sean spoke.

“Well, John’s never been one for acting fancy and everything,” Hosea replied. “Where did I go wrong with that boy?”

“Didn’t go wrong with me at least,” Arthur grinned from his spot making Hosea roll his eyes.

“No, you’re worse, Mister Cornwall Leviticus being held by a soldier in Guarma,” Hosea reminded him teasingly, and Arthur raised his hands in response.

“But,” Dickens voice calls them back to the scene being played out, “We’ll give you a chance.” There’s a collective sigh of relief. “I’ll let Mister Geddes’ know when him and his wife return tomorrow.” John reaches out to shake Dicken’s hand.

“Thank you, Mister Dickens. I’ll go get my wife.”

“Nah, no, you stay here. It’s getting late. We’ll go get her in Strawberry and we’ll bring here tomorrow. We need you around incase any more of them Laramie boys show up. There’s a little cabin out yonder past the ranch house. Things work out, ya’ll can stay there.”

“Thank you. You’ll not regret this.”

“Yep. Go get yourself settled. We’ll have work for you tomorrow when Mister Geddes returns tomorrow.” John heads to the cabin, and the scene fades out allowing the dead to discuss what happened.

“Oh, I’m glad he’s giving John a chance,” Lenny said. “Even though he can see right through his cover story.”

“Yes, but I wonder why we’re watching John, and not after…” Hosea pauses quickly glances at Arthur unable to say what everyone knows he wants too.

“Well, it doesn’t seem like we’re allowed to leave,” Arthur said after Hosea’s pause. He ignores it knowing that his death still hurts his Pa. “So, we’ll find out eventually.”

“Yeah, and God, Jack has grown. He was four, now he’s, what, about ten? So what, six years just about?” Sean spoke up. “Makes me sad I wasn’t able to see him grow up.”

“Hear, hear,” Everyone agreed.

“I know I wasn’t exactly the kindest to her, but it pleases me to see Abigail doing alright, even if John is a chore and a half to deal with,” Susan said brushing off invisible dirt from her skirt.

“Yeah,” Arthur spoke fondness in his eyes. “I’m glad too, and I hope Jack does well. And John provided he doesn’t screw this up. I swear to God if he does…” Arthur shakes his head. He’ll kick his little brother’s ass if John makes Arthur have to watch him die.


	17. Fatherhood, for Idiots.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't going to add this mission until I rewatched a video for it, and heard Arthur's line. I can't remember which one has Dutch's so it's probably not going to be added.
> 
> New chapters so come around within the next week or so. Depends on how fast I can them done.

Weeks have passed on the ranch, and they have watched the family work hard earning their place amongst the ranch. Watched John and Jack race, pick up shit, and milk cows. But John stayed out of trouble for the most part, save for the issue with the gang nearby, and the dead wonder why they’re following John after all this time. But for now, they stay silent, unless adding smart ass comments, and watch John head in the cabin the family is staying in.

“How you getting on?” Abigail asks seeing John come in. They can see Jack reading a book on his bed.

“Surviving… I think.”

“Here, I’ll get you some coffee.”

“Only thing I know how to do is, well, you know. Undertakes like me. Cattle? Not so much.”

“That ain’t true.” Abigail comes to stand next to John after pouring him some coffee.

“I ain’t no rancher. Rustled horses, not raised ‘em. Stole cattle, not birthed ‘em.” Abigail gives him a look before sitting down.

“I was… I was reading the newspaper. I was reading about an old ranch, Beecher’s Hope, down by Blackwater.”

“Was you?”

“Well, Jack read it to me but I thought maybe we could raise some money, bank could lend us the rest.” Abigail sounds excited talking about the future, and Arthur, Hosea, and Susan smile at her excitement.

“Bank loans?” John huffed. “I got a goddamned price on my head, woman.”

“I know. I know all about that,” Abigail yelled back, all excitement gone from her voice, and the smiles drop from faces. “Every time we about get somewhere, make something, you go and show the entire world you ain’t Jimmy Milton. Every place we’ve been, it’s been the same. We start doing okay, and then boom, you act like the big man with the gun. I’m tired John, and I guess I was dreaming a little. At least give me that.” Arthur groans loudly, hands on his face again.

“I’m going to kill him. I’m going to kill him from the dead, Pa.” Hosea gives his son a tight lipped smile while lightly patting his back.

“He’s trying, not a lot, but a little. And Abigail has a point just as John does. For now, let’s just continue to watch. Perhaps John might grow up a little.”

“Just feels hopeless,” John admits glancing down at the table.

“You’re… you’re doing better.” Knocking on the door prevents the conversation from going on, and they hear Mister Dickens call out before entering.

“Milton, ma’am. Mister Geddes needs you to head over to Strawberry in the wagon, and collect some mail from him at the post office.”

“Sure.” John turns to Abigail. “I’ll take the boy with me, he’s getting soft. Lancelot.” Jack turns at his ‘name.’

“Come on,” Abigail urges before returning her gaze to John. “Jim, if you’re heading that way, can you pick up a parcel for me? A dress I order. Think it’s in your name?” Jack stands by Mister Dickens.

“My name?”

“I think so. One’s in your name and the other’s in mine, only one should have come in by now.” They see Dickens and Jack head outside.

“How much shopping you done?”

“Oh yes, a real keen purchaser of goods me. Look at me.” John makes a sound that sounds like he’s laughing. Which makes Abigail shove him out the door towards Jack. They watch the two climb onto the wagon and head off, John commenting about showing Jack how to drive the wagon, and he’ll save Jack the real exciting realities of adulthood for another day.

With a crack of the reins, John guides the wagon to the road striking up a conversation with Jack about getting out of the house. Jack comments he prefers being in the house. John responds with life being not doing the things you like. Which makes Jack reply he can with John making it clear he’s not being happy with the two. Several of the dead can’t help their palms meeting their face. Even to Jack, John is obvious.

And it’s not long before John gives the reins over to Jack. With gentle instructions, John teaches Jack the ropes of wagon driving as they drive to Strawberry. And it’s not until Strawberry when Jack hands the reins back over to John. There’s a brief conversation about being back in Strawberry, and it being the longest John has seen Jack without a book in hand before John says, “Look, I got some business to attend to with the clerk. I leave you with the wagon, can I trust you not to drive off with it?”

“Oh, I think I can be trusted with that.”

“Very good.” John laughs pulling up to the post office. “Alright, here we are. You alright, son?”

“Sure.”

“Well, cheer up a little. You wait here. I won’t be long.”

 

“Okay.” They watch John head inside while telling Jack if he behaves, he’ll let him drive them home. Jack doesn’t sound very enthused by the idea.

“Hi, I’m here to…”

“Name?”

“M… my name? Uh, Jim Milton.” They see the clerk take a look before shaking his head. “Maybe try Marston, John Marston. It’s a long story.” The clerk takes a long look at John before searching for a package to no avail. A man looks up at the name, and the dead begin to worry. Has a bounty hunter found John already? “Try Abigail Roberts.” The clerk gives him an even longer look before finally finding the package. He places it on the counter, and John adds, “And also I’m here to pick up the deliveries for Pronghorn Ranch. David Geddes sent me.” Another stop to stare before the clerk nods and starts getting the packages helping John load them into the wagon.

“Thank you very much, Mister.” John waves before climbing into the wagon. There’s a fluctuation in his tone making the dead tense. John must have seen the man slowly look up in the post office. “Okay, let’s get out of here.”

“Everything okay, Pa?”

“Sure, I hope so, at least. Here, you take the reins a little.”

“I ain’t sure.”

“Come on, son. You’ll enjoy it if try a little harder.” Jack sighs taking the reins.

“Okay… okay, Pa.”

“We’re going back to Pronghorn, okay?”

“So, wait, we’ve come all this way out here and we just gonna turn around and go back?”

“That’s what we’re doing. Turns out I… I miss the seclusion of the ranch more than I figured for.” Jack asks about going to the saloon, or the store, and John cuts him off saying they’re going back. Protesting, Jack tries again only to be cut off harsher with John saying he doesn’t have to explain himself, and to speed up or slow down at his direction. And with that, it becomes clear that John knows he’s being followed. The dead can hope he gets out of it without harm coming down on Jack.

Sure enough as they drive on the rough road, the pair are followed by a group of men slowly. Tensing, the dead watch John instruct Jack to not look around, and when they get to the fallen tree, to jump down and hide.

“Here now!” John yells, and the two quickly stop the wagon and dismount with John and Jack jumping over the fallen log seconds later. “Okay. Son, you wait here. You don’t move or say nothing until I speak to you, you hear?”

“Yes, sir,” Jack replied sounding nervous.

“Head down,” John replies before jumping back over the log. “Okay, gentlemen,” They see John take a bolt action rifle from under the wagon’s seat, Arthur’s rifle, “Let’s see what you’ve come calling about. What do you boys want with us?”

“Oh, we just wanna have a friendly chat,” One says dismounting. The dead have the feeling this will be no friendly chat.

“God, I hope Jack doesn’t see this. Any of it. He’ll hear, but hopefully he won’t see,” Lenny muttered softly, voicing what the others thought.

“Are you John Marston? You sure look like him?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just... here with my son.” The man spits at John’s attempts to defuse the situation.

“Did you kill a feller out in Roanoke a few months back?” The man accuses softly.

“No, wasn’t me.”

“That was my brother.”

“I’m real sorry, friend, but… he was trying to rob me,” John deflected.

“You’re talking bullshit, mister, kill him!”

“That’s what started this,” Hosea spoke softly eyes focused on the flickering image.

“God damn it, Marston,” Arthur growled softly, one hand reaching to rest itself on his Pa’s leg. And they watch the image flickered into the same red and yellow Arthur once used with his fight in Van Horn. “So, he’s got dead eye too,” Arthur mumbled watching the men fall quicker than they can react. “Supposed I shouldn't be surprised. John’s always been a pretty good shot.”

John jumps the log again, and pulls Jack into a hug who’s sounding even more panicked than before. “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

“Poor Jack,” Molly whispered saddened that the boy even had to hear the shooting. The rest weren’t sure what to say as John guides Jack back to the wagon, and tells him not to look. Naturally, Jack looks at the dead and begins to panic.

John takes the reins and snaps hard pushing the horses forward down the road. “I told you not to look, boy.”

“Are they… dead?”

“I didn’t have much of a choice. You saw that. Now compose yourself.”

“You killed them, Pa.” There’s terror in Jack’s voice, and all the dead wish he hadn’t been forced to even hear the shots.

“Son, I need you to hold it together,” John instructs as everyone watching Jack begin to hyperventilate. “You were real brave back there. Real brave. Did exactly what I said.”

“Really?”

“Yep. If you hadn’t listened things could have gone real wrong for us.” Jack whimpers and John tries to soothe him and distract him by talking about the family getting a ranch. They’re not sure sure if it’s working, but John’s trying. And it’s not long before they come back to the house, Abigail opening the door to greet them, but Jack pushes pass her a soft sob following him.

“What happened?”

“Ah... it’s… I don’t… We got shot at.”

“Shot at? What happened?”

“Well, we got followed, and then we…”

“Followed by who?”

“Probably someone who knew me. We didn’t get to them particulars, I’m sorry.”

“My son. Our son. I…” Abigail pauses before spinning on her heel, and stomping back inside.

“Was your dress that caused all the problem!” John spat after her.

“Weren’t even a dress… it was a gift for you,” She revealed before shutting the door leaving John in the rain.

“Jesus Christ,” Arthur bemoaned. Other shook their heads as the picture flicked to John placing down a sack followed by Arthur’s voice. They all jumped hearing his voice.

_“Look, just do one thing or another, not be two people at once. That’s all I’m saying.”_

Smiling ruefully, Arthur answered the unspoken question, “When we were riding out to rustle sheep before that massacre in Valentine, I said that to him. I wonder if he’ll listen to it. Certainly thinking about it.”

“We can hope,” Hosea agreed softly watching John complete more of his chores.

“Hope is all we can do,” Karen finally spoke. “Poor Jack, I hope he’ll be okay.”

“Me too. Me too.”


	18. Jim Milton Rides, Again?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yep, another chapter 24 hours after the last one posted. I felt this one needed to be in since this is right before Abigail leaves John, and is an important point in John changing into a better man. Enjoy.

A few days later, and they heard Mister Geddes call out to John. “Mister Geddes?” John questioned softly joining him and his wife in front of a barn.

“Hey, I heard we had another incident with the Laramie boys?”

“Yeah, there was an incident.”

“Well, they mean to scare me.”

“And are you scared?”

“A little,” Geddes confused as they began to walk. “I’ve got a lot invested in this place, and-and not just the land, but, but my family. It’s, uh, it’s hard to explain.”

“I understand. I’ll do my best to keep you safe, sir.”

“I know you will. So, how’s your family?”

“Just fine. I should probably head back.” Geddes laughs.

“I know how it is,” The ranch owner agrees watching John head towards the cabin.

“How’d you get on?” Abigail questions when John walks in. The dead’s gaze hover over Jack wondering how he’s doing since the incident on the road.

“Okay I guess,” John replied taking a seat while Abigail places plated in front of them.

“Better?”

“Sure, I’m just tired.”

“I know.” Silence takes root as the family eats in silence for awhile. Or, it does until John blurts out he misses Mister Pearson making Abigail laugh and call him a pig. The couple break out into laughter, and for now it seems the two have reached peace even for a little bit.

“I wonder how Mister Pearson is doing,” Susan wondered.

Day turns to night, and Abigail heards everyone to bed. And for a little bit, the family, and the ranch, sleep peacefully until a gunshot breaks the night’s silence. John bolts from the bed. “The hell was that?”

“What are… what are you doing?” Abigail sleepy questions as John starts putting on his boots.

“My job, Abigail.” He moves to the door while glancing back at Abigail. “Lock this door behind me, don’t open it unless you know it’s me.” With that said, the dead watch John sprint out of the door, and towards the gunfire. It’s chaos, and they can see several fires as John sprints pass a horse and rider. Another farmhand runs up to him.

“Jim, you got to do something. Two of them. By the stalls. They got Tom.” The man quickly runs somewhere else while John intervenes to save Mister Dickens. It’s a quick bloody fight as John downs the two men before helping Dickens up.

“They’ve killed Mister Tolbert,” Geddes announces coming up to the two, “and they’ve stolen my god damn cattle. You men okay?”

“Jim Milton saved my life, it’s Mister Abel.”

“Of course it’s Mister Abel. I can’t believe he thinks he can scare me out of here.”

“Then I guess we’re getting your cattle back, sir,” John says.

“I guess we are. Can you go too, Tom?”

“Of course, sir.”

Geddes points to John. “Alright, Jim, I know you can handle yourself…”

“A little…”

“Go get your guns and head out.”

“Guns?”

“Oh, don’t play coy with me, son, we need your help. I don’t care what you used to do, or what you... your name is.” Shared glances go around the campfire. Geddes may not know who John exactly is, but he knows John has experience in gun fights, and doesn’t care about John’s history. Although they wonder what he would think if he knew what gang John used to run with. “This is the land of second chances.” Bobbing his head, John says he understands before running to get the guns he’s kept hidden for so long.

“Land of seconds chances, eh?” Sean questioned. “I don’t think everyone would agree with that when it comes to outlaws like us.”

“No, I don’t think they would,” Lenny agreed. The watched John knock on the cabin door shouting for Abigail to let him in.

“What was it?”

“Mister Geddes’ cattle was taken.”

“God, I’m sorry to hear that.” They watch John pull a case from under the bed, making Abigail exclaim, “What’re you doing in that thing?”

“Mister Geddes’ been real good to us. We… I…” They watch John pull out another one of Arthur’s old guns.

“When did he get those?” Sean questions and the only thing Arthur can do is shrug.

“What are you doing?”

“My job, Abigail,” John sighs loading the cattleman revolver. “My goddamn job.” John bursts out of the cabin door moments later in pants, and guns hanging on his hip and back. And an oh so familiar hat on his head.

“Still has it,” Arthur murmured amazed. His chest feels tight, and he’s surprised by a tear running down his face. Hosea’s hand closes around his, and Arthur sends him a smile albeit slightly pained.

The three men take off the ranch where the Laramie boys stay. A plan is quickly made, and they watch John head straight in. Tensing, the dead watch him carefully, hoping, he won’t get himself killed. There may be only nine chairs, but there’s still nothing saying a tenth couldn’t be added. Quick conversation passes between John and the guards, and seconds after, John pulls out both revolvers firing quickly and accurately into the bodies of the men. It’s a massacre as John kills most of the men while his companions get one or two men.

And when the massacre ends, they hear someone calling out Jim Milton, and calling him a son of a bitch from the barn. Without much thought into, John heads inside before being jumped by the man. Another fistfight breaks out, but the rancher is nothing compared to John’s years living as an outlaw allowing the former outlaw to overpower the rancher quickly keeping him from the sawed off shotgun.

The man spits out curses and insults at Abigail, and the dead watch a ripple of complete rage cross over John’s face with each step closer. And the trigger of the gun pointed at the rancher is pulled moments later with any rage on John’s face disappearing. With a soft curse, John grabs Arthur’s hat and heads back out to his horse and to the ranch.

“He really didn’t like anyone insulting Abigail. Strange to see after all that time they spent arguing in camp,” Karen notes as John passes the fences marking the border of the ranch.

“Yeah,” Arthur agreed unable to respond with anything else. Time had changed John certainly. Not by much, but it had changed him.

Praises were hurled onto to John when he stops by the corral holding the now retrieved cattle. And it’s not long before Mister Geddes appears. “You… you saved my…”

“No need to say nothing, sir. Just doing my job.” John glances to where he came from. “Now, I don’t think they’ll come back tonight, but how about, Abe, just in case, you stay up. See anything or hear anything you fire that rifle three times. We’ll all come running.” Abe agrees, and John, Geddes, and Dickens heads towards their respective places of living.

“Well said, and thank you, Mister Milton. Truly.”

“Glad to be of service, sir.”

“I understand. You get some rest.”

“Thank you Mister Geddes,” John replied with a wave of his hand while heading back to Abigail. And when he walks in, she levels a glare at him. “What? What?” Abigail can only stare at him in anger, and the peace that had existed between the couple goes up in flame making several people groan. “What choice did I have?” John growled taking off his boots while Abigail rises from the chair with a sigh. “Just answer me that.” She says nothing crawling back into bed, and John says, “What was I supposed to do?” Jack glances at John before crawling back into bed leaving John huffing out an angry sigh with a shake of his head.

“I mean, he’s not wrong, but I know Abigail would rather he not go off and be some hero,” Lenny started after some silence. “And, Mister Geddes has been good to them even though their past is definitely shaded.”

“That he has,” Arthur rumbled in agreement scratching his chin.

“Hard rock, hard place,” Hosea whispered softly patting his son’s leg. “But I can’t help but feel glad John helped Mister Geddes out. He could have stayed low, but he, and you Lenny, are right, Mister Geddes has been good to them. Although, I wonder how much longer of this Abigail can take. Even she has her limits with John.”

“Yeah,” Arthur agrees watching John finally crawl into bed next to her. “What else is coming, I wonder.”


	19. Motherhood/Gainful Employment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Decided to combine these two chapters together. Enjoy!

The next day, John is brushing a horse when Abe calls to him. “Hey, Mister Jim? Mister Jim.”

“Abe.” The hand comes closer to the fence.

“There’s a telegram messenger for you over there, near the house,” Abe points out after climbing onto the fence.

“There is?” John questions stepping away from the horse, and heading towards Geddes’ house with Abe. A quick conversation ensures before Abe breaks off to return to his chores while John heads closer to the messenger.

“Wonder who it is,” Lenny voices hand on chin.

“Find out in a second,” Arthur responds watching John finally reach the messenger.

“‘Scuse me, mister… I’m Jim Milton. Heard you had a telegram for me.”

“Yes, here,” The man replies handing John a note and a book, “sign here.”

“Thank you.” John turns to read the telegram while the messenger rides of. “Jim, stop. If you’re the J.M I know, stop. It’s Sadie Alder,” The name has the dead glancing over at each other, questions burning in their minds, “I’ve got something to discuss, pay good, meet me in saloon in Valentine, I’m there most days, stop.” With a soft noise, John bobs his head with a murmur of Sadie’s name.

“Wonder how she’s been doing, and the others for that matter,” Arthur says as they watch John head into his cabin calling out Abigail’s name. Only the cabin is devoid of her and Jack when he enters. “Oh, god damn it, Marston,” Arthur groaned. No one else speaks, and John picks up a letter.

“Darling John, a kind lady in the village helped me write this. She had men problems of her, but that’s a different story. Listen, I’ve begged you, but it don’t seem to make much difference. I’ve tried everything I know to make you group up. And you know I love you, but loving you means I can’t watch you do this. Time after time we’ve had to run because of your behaviour and your decisions. We got a son. I got a son. And I love our son enough that I can’t have him around you while you’re like this. I had so many dreams, John. I hoped you would change. We all saw what happened to them that didn’t, but you… part of you is hell bent on ending up the same way. And I love you too much to watch that no more. Abigail.” They watch John sigh, set down the letter on bed that used to be Jack’s, and rub his face with his hands.

“Well, sounds like John hasn’t changed much,” Hosea observed, disapproval threaded through his tone.

“I’m going to kill him,” Arthur groaned from between his hands. “I’m going to absolutely kill him. I died saving him, and he keeps throwing away the opportunity I gave him, I’m going to figure out a way to go down there and haunt him for the rest of his life.” Hosea patted his son’s back with a slightly amused expression.

“I’m not sure that strange man will let you,” Sean commented.

“If I gotta beat him into the ground to be given the chance to haunt John’s sorry ass, I will,” Arthur huffed turning his gaze back to the fire where John has found a box under the bed. He opens it to reveal some clothing, Abigail’s present to him, before reboxing it just as Dickens comes back in.

“Where’s the wife, Milton?”

“Erm, she’s out.”

“I saw her leaving with the boy, and the bags. What’s going on?”

“You married, Mister Dickens?”

“No.”

“That don’t surprise me.”

“What she do, catch you with a show girl? Or hear about you shooting more fellers over by Strawberry?” John gets up with the letter in hand. “Just who are you, Jim Milton?” Dickens asks while John puts the letter in a cabinet.

“I’m a family man. I can handle a gun, sure. Them men shot at me.” Dickens shakes his head.

“Just interested, that’s all.”

“Ain’t nothing interesting unless you find gossip about a man’s marriage worthy of your time.”

“Guess not.” Dickens moves to head out of the cabin. “There’s work to be done unless you’re running off, too.”

“I ain’t going nowhere. I’m here to work. Gotta save money, and get her what she wants.”

“What does she want?”

“She wants a place of her own, said she found a plot up at Beecher’s Hope.”

“You? A rancher?” Laughing, Dickens shakes his head a bit. “You’ll starve.”

“Probably,” John agrees with his own laugh.

“Keep yourself busy, take your mind off it,” Dickson says before heading off, and leaving John to resume his chores. 

“So,” Sean begins, the flames flickering with different pictures of John doing chores. “He’s just going to stay here and work? Not go see Sadie?”

“Maybe, it’s possible he will. Let’s keep watching,” Hosea replied sharing a glance with Arthur when the words ‘A few months later’ appear. The image swirls into John loading hay onto a wagon with Abe.

“Well, that’s her full,” He comments before moving away from John. And John goes to follow until Dickens calls out.

“Hey. I was wrong about you. You’ve turned into a fine worker, Jim Milton.”

“Ah, thank you. Means a lot. Hey, you think I could speak with Mister Geddes? See if maybe he’s open to offering me some guidance?” John asks.

“I’m sure he’d be happy to hear you speak at least.”

“Thank you, Mister Dickens,” comes John’s reply before marching up the house. Inhaling sharply, John knocks on the door, which opens to reveal one of Geddes’ sons. “Hey, son, how’s that bull?” 

“Fine, Mister Milton.”

“Your father in? Could I have a word?”

“Sure… I’ll just get him. Pa!”

“Yeah, I’m right, right here.” Geddes steps out from his house gaze trained on John. “What the problem Milton?”

“I’m sorry for the disturbance, sir.”

“Oh, no problem.” Geddes waves him off. “My wife, she just began her morning discourse on the subject of my faults. An experience I think every man can relate too.” The pair start to walk around the porch.

John chuckles. “In some ways. My wife, my wife also has issues with some of the decisions I’ve made.” Arthur mutters something about that being an understatement, and several people laugh. “Real issues. Do you believe a man can change, sir?”

“Where is this heading?”

“I guess I don’t know.” John clears his throat. “I’ve tried to be a good hand. I’ve worked hard to secure your property.”

“And for that we are grateful.”

“And you’ve paid me well, besides. The thing is, I suppose, I need to get a place of my own, so I can prove to my wife I’ve changed.”

“I understand.”

“But I ain’t got much money. I ain’t asking to borrow none but maybe you could go to the bank and put in a good word so they can give me a loan?”

“So, he’s actually going to do it?” Arthur murmured brows furrowed.

“That will take a lifetime to pay off,” Strauss commented for the first time. “Bank loans can be harsh to a living that can change quickly with one accident such as a ranch.”

“Yes, but perhaps John will do it. Perhaps, he’ll be able to whether the storm,” Hosea replied sharing a glance between him, Arthur and Susan. “Let’s see what happens, and if he’ll meet with Sadie.”

“A loan, huh?”

“So I can buy that place, Beecher’s Hope?”

“Yes I know it.” Geddes pauses, looks at John, looks away, then looks again at him. “Yes of course, sure. It’d be, be my pleasure but take my advice, Milton, take your money, and go buy passage on a boat. Go to Brazil, and forget all about family. I’m just joking, son.” Geddes pats John on the arm. “Just make sure you deal with Ansel Atherton at the bank. He’s a distant cousin. Use my name, tell him to ask me direct himself. You’ll get what you need.”

“Thank you, sir,” John breathed.

“Yeah, I was young and dumb once too, you’ll get her back.” They watch Geddes head back into the house. Clapping his hands, John walks down the stairs, and towards the cabin he’s been staying. He brings out a chest holding clothing, and slowly takes it out.  
The scene flickers again, and John is stepping out in his new clothes that Abigail bought him.

“Huh, he looks like a rough riding cowboy, alright,” Hosea commented.

“He does look pretty good like that,” Lenny agrees watching Susan wrinkle her nose a bit.

“I’m pretty sure I see a rip in there,” She mutters, eyes squinting at the image. Arthur and Hosea start laughing, both men shaking their heads as they do.

“Of course, you’d notice that, Susan,” Arthur grinned at her making her scoff.

“Well, I was cleaning up for you ruffians,” She teases Arthur, a grin on her face. They quieten watching the determined expression on John’s face after he places his hat on his head. It’s not long before he mounts his horse, and heads off.

“Wonder where he’s going first. The bank, or Valentine?” Karen asks. Their question is half answered watching John head down the roads leading to Valentine.

“Think we’ll see Sadie there?” Lenny asks. “It’d be nice to see what she’s been up to.”

“That it would,” Arthur agreed seeing John inching closer to Valentine. “We’ll find out soon.” And they do watching John tie his horse outside the saloon, and head inside. A hoarse female voice sounds out the gang recognize all too well. Sadie.

“I thought I told you to leave it, Bubba.” John pauses walking in, and they see Sadie leaning against the bar drinking. She’s geared to the brim, and they wonder exactly what she’s been doing.

“And I thought to myself ‘who this little girl think she tellin’ anything to’,” He spat back.

“Well, enjoy your drink peace,” Sadie spat. “I ain’t got no business with you right now.”

“What that mean?” The man’s voice is dark, yet no one worries too much. Sadie can handle herself.

“For the last time, leave me alone!” She growls, hand on knife. And they watch the man leave his hand on the counter.

“Or what?” He challenges. Sadie quickly unsheathes her knife and stabs the man’s palm on the counter. The man lets out a yell while Saide punches the other.

“Or that!” She yells.

“Jesus Christ!” Sean said. “Has she gotten worse over time?” Several people are staring at the flames unsure of what to say. John quickly walks forward and takes the knife from the man’s hand.

“Get the hell outta here before she kills us all,” John shouts at the retreating men. “Get out of here!”

Sadie takes one long look at John before her face lights up. “John Marston!” She greets him.

“It is good to see you,” John replies handing her back her knife. The two hug.

“I thought I heard a rumor you was alive. Jim Milton, is that you?”

“Guess I didn’t do a real good job of hiding my identity.”

“Now where’d you get that idea, John?” Arthur sarcastically mutters bring several smiles on people’s faces. “We didn’t hear nothing about you.”

“You… you kill a feller, up by Roanake?” The bartender casually pours a drink.

“Sure did.” John takes the drink offered to him.

“I thought that sounded like you and Abigail and Jack. She…”

“She’s fine,” John lies, and they wonder how long he can keep it up.

“She was always so kind to me.”

“I’m looking to buy us some property. Beecher’s Hope, west of Blackwater. I’m kind of a farmer now. And you?”

“Oh, you know how it is, bounties mostly, and some other stuff good and bad. Hey, you any interest in bounties?”

“Nah, I’ve gone straight sort of.”

“Well, it’s legal usually,” Sadie comments moving away from the bar, John following.

“Then… maybe.”

“Come on then.”

“What? Where we heading?”

“Strawberry,” Sadie answers mounting the horse tied next to John’s. “GUy on the run from New York good price for him.”

“What he do?”

“Rob a bank.”

“With a gun?”

Sadie laughs. “Nope, with a pen. He’s an accountant, I think.” The pair start to ride towards Strawberry.

“Your telegram. You said you had something to discuss. I didn’t think we’d be chasing down an outlaw.”

“There’s something else…”

“What?”

“Micah.” The name sends shivers down the dead’s back. Why was Sadie bringing up Micah?

“Micah?”

“I think so. I heard of someone who sounded like him... about a year back.”

“Okay.”

“We always said… if we found him.” John sighs, and the dead start to glance at each other worry coming off each other them. Is this why they were watching John? To see him and Sadie kill Micah for what he did? To get revenge?

“I know what we said we’d do. That ain’t changed.” If their hearts were still beating, they would have stopped hearing the words from John’s mouth. Arthur runs his hands down his face as the pair riders towards Strawberry, while both Susan and Hosea frown, their hands joining together concerned for one of their sons.

“Sadie… I mean… they won’t track him down won’t they?” Lenny asked eyes landing on Arthur and Hosea. “I mean, didn’t John hear that one saying Dutch liked, that revenge was a fool’s game.”

“He’s heard it,” Hosea confirmed watching the two finally ride into Strawberry on the hunt for a bank robber whose weapon was a pen. “Whether he’ll listen or not… well… somehow I get the feeling he won’t. He’s always been a brash man. Always.”

The dead fall silent to watch John and Sadie chase after the man. Arthur can feel his insides turning at the thought of John going after Micah. He thought John would start to truly change after Abigail had finally left him. It seemed he hadn’t if he was already entertaining the idea of going after Micah. And Arthur didn’t want John to go. He didn’t need his death, or the other’s deaths, avenged. But the low sinking feeling in his gut said otherwise. A hand reaches out for his, and he sees Hosea and Susan smiling softly at him. Squeezing his father’s hand back, he rests his head against Hosea’s shoulder watching his little brother with worry.

John and Sadie part after agreeing where to send the money, and that John will help her out with other bounties. But Micah’s name hovers around the dead, and no one is able to voice questions they want to ask. All they do is watch John head to the one place that started the gang’s downfall.

Blackwater.


	20. Home of the Gentry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lateness of this chapter. Been so close to finishing Beneath Your Beautiful that I couldn't find the urge to update this story until now. Please enjoy.

The dead weren’t sure if they were surprised or happy when John rode in Blackwater, and no one seemed to recognize him as one of Dutch’s Boys. Walking into the bank, John asked the teller where he could find Mister Artheron. The teller quickly instructs him down the hall where John finds said man working at a desk. Knocking on the door way, John waits for the man to notice him.

“Can I help you?”

“I hope so,” John replies stepping into the office and sitting in the empty chair. “I want a loan, sir. A line of credit... so I can buy some property.”

“What property?”

“An old ranch, Beecher’s Hope.” The banker laughs.

“That old dump?”

“I-I know it ain’t much but I ain’t much of a farmer either. But I will get there.” The banker gestures with his hand.

“That is a very unusual way of asking for a loan, Mister?”

“M… Martson.” There’s group wide groan from the group as the banker repeats John’s last name. “Only folk around here call me Milton, it’s kind of a joke I guess.” Another groan leaves Hosea’s chest, and he has to get up from the fire to move and stare into the empty vastness around the fire. No one dares move him.

“A joke, huh? Which folk?”

“Mister Geddes. I work for him. He said you could help me out I mean, if you can.”

“So old David Geddes told you I’m the kind of man to loan a man with two names money so he can buy a run-down farm on account of his lack of farming skills, huh?” The banker chuckled.

“Don’t sound too promising when you put it like that.”

“Of course it doesn’t, John,” Hosea bemoans from his spot away from the fire.

“Well how would you put it?” John sits silent for a few seconds.

“Sorry to waste your time, sir.”

John goes to sit up, but the banker speaks again. “Oh, sit down, I’m sure we can figure something out. Now of course, we’ll be expecting you to make regular payments, and given a lack of much evidence that you got any means of repaying the terms won’t be too great, but, if my cousin vouches for you, it’ll be okay with the bank.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.”

Rising from the chair, John reaches out to shake the other man’s hand. “Thank you.” He sounds relieved, and so do they.

“Now of course we’ll be expecting our money back regular as clockwork until the debt’s settled. Otherwise the farm reverts to the bank no matter how much you paid.”

“Not a… bad deal,” Strauss muttered from his stool. “Not the worse John could get considering his lack of a history to the bank.”

“I understand.”

“Well, why don’t you go check out the land while I fix the contracts and talk to Mister Geddes. Oh, I heard there’s squatters up there. We’ve been having so many problems recently they’ll need clearing on.” Jon nods, and the banker tells him to come back when he’s done and they’ll fix up the paperwork.

As John heads out the bank, Lenny comments, “So, it looks like no one recongizes him, and he’ll be getting a ranch? Do you think he’ll still chase after Micah?”

“Who knows. I hope he doesn’t,” Hosea replies as the flame shows John riding to the ranch.

“He does, and I’m coming down there to kill him myself,” Arthur growled, placing his chin in his palm. Hosea places his hand against Arthur’s nape rubbing to soothe his older son. Arthur sends him a tight smile making Hosea shake his head.

When John arrives to the ‘ranch’, Strauss comments, “Calling that a run-down ranch seems insulting. I hope whatever rates John actually got will be worth it.” Several people nod in agreement while watching John chase of the squatters by giving them money.

“Oh, good, he’s keeping temper in check for once,” Susan says as John mounts on his horse, and ride back to Blackwater.

“Maybe he is changing after all,” Karen muttered from her spot. “But will it be enough to get Abigail and Jack back?”

“We’ll have to see,” Lenny replied watching John head back into the bank, and into Miser Artheron’s office where the man looks from writing.

“Ah, it’s you. The man with two names and no past, come on in. How’d you make out?”

“Well let’s just say there are no more squatters.” Sitting down in the chair, John watches the banker bring out paperwork.

“Okay, well, I got your paperwork ready. Now, you sure about buying this place? It’s really run down and the price isn’t too great.”

Exhaling, John adjusts him in the chair. “I think it would mean a lot for my wife, at least mean I was listening to her.”

“Okay. Well, sign here and here.” The banker points with the pen before handing it over allowing John to sign it with his name. Once finished, the banker takes both copies and starts signing and stamping the papers. John watches the man work. And with a sigh, the banker holds up a copy. “Now we own you, Mister Marston and we own Mister Milton too, and we own your property. But you can buy your freedom each week, eventually you will be a homeowner.” Atheron hands John the paper.

“I understand.”

“Congratulations, you are now a real American indebted and owned by the bank.” Several people muttered something that sounded like, ‘Ain’t that the truth?’ John stands with the paper in his hands as Atheron continues, “I’m joking, they own me but they just own your property. Now, you can also use this line of credit for any home improvements you need to make of course?”

John looks up. “I can?”

“Sure, be good Mister Marston. Welcome to home ownership, it’s a beautiful thing.” As John walks out of the office, they hear Atheron call out to let Abigail to complain about. John glances at him before heading out into the street, letting out a breathe, and walking straight into a voice no one expected to hear.

“Well, it is you.” Uncle stands a few away from John much to the shock of the dead. How’d the man get to Blackwater? “Well, I never, I… I thought you was dead, boy. Dead!”

“Uncle?”

“The very same. Come here.” The two embrace before Uncle pulls away. “I saw you going into the bank and by the looks of things you ain’t robbed it.”

“I’ve gone straight.”

“Oh, bullcrap.”

“No, for real. Well, I’m trying…”

“All these years you ain’t changed a bit. Well, maybe a little bit. I thought you was dead.”

“Not yet.” Heading to his horse, John goes on, “Well I got some things to take care…” Uncle interrupts.

“Oh, not a problem, I’ll come too.” Loud groans are heard around the fire.

“Of course the camp rat is going to hitch up to John,” Arthur groaned covering his face with his hands. Around the fire, Susan and Hosea are rubbing their temples, Lenny looks as if he’s about to start drinking, Molly and Kieran are glancing back and forth between each other and the fire, Strauss looks ready to give up on life, and Karen and Sean have started drinking.

“Nah, you don’t have too.”

“I’m real sick, John. Lumbago.” Arthur removes himself and lays on the floor while muttering something about ‘lumbago and camp rats.’ Hosea simply pats his back. And when John lets Uncle come with him, Arthur lets out a noise that the group can’t describe.

They watch the two head out of Blackwater and to the ranch, John’s ranch. A conversation starts up between the two about where they’re going until they’re there, and John dismount with his arms out in front of the run-down shack. “What do you think?”

“Why exactly did you buy this dump?” Uncle questions on first look of John’s ‘home.’

“For Abigail.”

“Why? Is she an idiot? No. What were you thinking?”

“I don’t know. She said she wanted it.”

“She ever seen it? What are we going to farm here? Rocks?” Uncle questions picking up one.

“We?”

“You don’t have a hope here, without a wise hand at the tiller.”

“Enough of that,” John snaps gesturing with his arm. “Get out of here, on your way.”

“No, you’re stuck with me, seems I’m stuck with you.” Uncle tosses the rock into the air, and John catches it. “John, the rock farmer.”

“So, you think I’m an idiot?”

“No, I know you’re an idiot.” From his position on the floor, they can hear Arthur mutter something about him not believing he’s agreeing with Uncle on something. Patting his son’s back again, Hosea helps him back into his seat as they watch John move rocks over the next couple of hours.

“I think if I had to choose between being dead, and having Uncle live with me, I’d stay dead,” Lenny commented behind the hand covering his face.

“Hear, hear,” Susan replies rubbing her temples again.

“He’s got a point however,” Strauss says scratching the back of his neck. “If Abigail were to come and see the state of the farm as it is, I’m not sure if she would stay. After all, she still has Jack to consider.” Lenny simply groans into his hands.


	21. Bare Knuckle Friendships/A New Jerusalem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another two for one chapter! Merry Christmas!
> 
> Decided to skip forward a few missions to the actual house building scene since one mission is a mission with Sadie, and another is getting timber and a tool box, and while the timber/toolbox mission is interesting due to the presence of the Skineers, I feel like the house building part is more important than getting the tool box and the wood seeing as the house building mission is more important. It signals that John truly is trying to change.

The next day, John walked into the cabin to see Uncle laying down sleeping. Not one person was surprised to see Uncle asleep. Susan muttered something about camp rats, and several people shared smiles amongst themselves. “Working hard?” John asked startling Uncle from his sleep.

“I-it’s the lumbago.” Arthur rolled his eyes and heaved a dramatic sigh. “If I over do it, I’ll get a relapse. It’s very serious.”

“Get up, or get out,” John hissed.

“Oh, you can be so testy. What is it, constipation?”

“Guess you’re my proof I’ll never quite outrun my sins.” John walks over to where Uncle lays.

“You got so sanctimonious in your old age, it’s no wonder she left you.” Uncle turns onto his side. “It’s like rooming the King James Bible.”

“Get up,” John repeats giving Uncle a sharp kick to the back. Arthur let out a cheer and raised his hands into the hair.

“That’s my little brother! Give the old man a good kick in the back.” Hosea shook his head from his seat while Susan, Karen, andMolly muffled their laughs, and Sean, Lenny, and Kieran smiled. Even Strauss’ lips were trying not to twitch into a smile Uncle got up with a cry and was driven out of the cabin when he suddenly exclaimed.

“Oh, shit! Well, We gotta go. We gotta go to Saint Denis. Charles! Charles Smith is alive, I reckon.” The name has several people leaning forward, hopefully. Charles is not with them, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t doing too well in the land of living.

“Charles Smith alive? Really?” John sounds as if he doesn’t quite believe Uncle.

“I-I reckon. Unless I dreamed it all, and by the sound of it not doing to good, neither.” The two headed off to catch a train to Saint Denis. John muttered something about not liking the place when he got off the train, and no one could blame him. Not after everything that happened. “Alright, let’s go find that big sour bastard.” John agrees and suggests they split up, and that’ll he take the saloons. And with that said, John heads towards the slums, and towards a saloon.

It’s not long before John gets the information he needs, and heads through the streets to where Charles is supposed to be. And where Uncle is, who playfully taunts John about his speed. John shoots back he was just beginning to enjoy the quiet. The two head into a small backyard. And when they turn another corner, the see one man speaking to a shirtless man, one that seems to have the same skin color and shape of Charles.

“He don’t know the half of it,” John says making the shirtless man turn around. It’s Charles and those who saw Charles help Arthur during his last days, smile. Arthur smiles widely seeing his friend is still alive.

“John?” Charles’ voice is confused as he gets one look at John. Then excitement and relief flows through his tone, “You’re… you’re…” He claps one hand on John’s shoulder, and the other shakes John’s hand.

“I’m alive… so are you.” John turns his head in the direction of Uncle. “So is he.”

“That’s Uncle?”

“What are you doing?”

“I don’t know… I’m alive.”

“Uncle thought maybe you was in some sort of trouble.”

“K-kind of,” Charles admits. “Just… I don’t know… I... I’m throwing fights for a few dollars.”

“Throwing fights?”

“Sure.”

“And you like that?”

“Of course not.”

“So…”

“So… let me go place a bet.” Charles heads to the book keeper, John following. There’s a brief conversation, before Charles and John both place bets on Charles. Money exchanged, John hovers on the edge of the crowd while Charles takes his place next to the other fighter. There's special introductions for both fighters, and the dead sit on the edge of their seats waiting for Charles to beat the shit out of the other man.  
And kick his ass, Charles does. It takes a matter of minutes before Charles knocks the other fighter unconscious. Both the dead and John cheered equally for Charles, and were glad to see he wasn’t severely injured by the other fighter. John is quickly on Charles’ heels as they move to leave after Charles grbas his discarded shirt. The book keeper stops them to hand both men their money commenting that while he’s made the keeper’s night, several men will be unhappy.

“So,” John looks around as he leads Charles away. “You keen on saying around here, or heading off with me and Uncle?”

“But John, I haven’t seen you two in years.”

“I know, but right now, my sense is you just need to lie low.”

“Where?”

“We got a little place up past Blackwater in the high country.” Charles agrees but comments he needs to grab his luggage. He was going to go up river after the fight. Uncle breaks off to run errands, and John tells him to hurry up after agreeing to meet them at the bridge outside Saint Denis.

“So, what happened?” Charles asks softly.

“You mean, back then?” John sighs. “Arthur helped me get out, gave me a chance to… live, I guess. You-You know that Arthur…” John trailed off.

“Sure.” Charles’ voice turns softer again. “Word got to me up North. So I went back and buried him and Miss Grimshaw.” Arthur and Susan share a sad smile, but both are grateful to know they were properly buried. Hosea gives Arthur’s leg a squeeze, while the rest remained quiet, but pleased to know Charles didn’t leave their bodies to rot.

“I had to run… if any of us had been found we’d have…”

“Of course. I understand. He’s where we would have wanted to be, a pretty hillside facing the evening sun.” Arthur has to place his mouth in his hand, overcome with emotion knowing that Charles went that far to bury his body the way he wanted. Hosea’s hand squeezes his leg again.

“He gave me his satchel. With some of his things in it. Remember that journal he always drew in? I got it. I’m a bit of a draftsman myself nowadays.” Arthur let out a soft snort, but didn’t remove his hand.

“He was a good man as much as any of us could be.”

“Getting sick like that has to rattle a feller.”

“Rattle him, or give him some kind of understanding what he’s life was really all about.”

“Yeah that makes sense.”

“Anyways, I heard you were all dead, or I might have come looking.”

“And me the same about you.”

“Dutch?”

“Who knows? Dead, maybe. I’m not sure. I heard all kind of things, but one thing I know, he ain’t around here. I ain’t heard nothing real in years, since... well... that time.”

“Nor me. Micah?”

“I hope that bastard is dead. You know he was the one speaking to them agents,” John spat still clearly disgruntled from past events, and Micah’s role in them.

“What?”

“Putting them on us the whole time… or since before I got off Siska.”

“They picked up Struass. The agents. Made a real mess of him. Heard he died in custody. Never said a word.” To hear that Pinkertons had gotten him, and possibly tortured him until he died had Arthur looked up from his spot, eyes glinting with some regret of his actions of kicking out Strauss. The loaner never said how he’d died when he came to them. And as the two men shared a look, Strauss simply shook his head. A clear message that nothing could change what happened. Both men were dead now.

“I guess some folk is strong in ways you can’t see.”

“Everything that happened… all those deaths… Micah?”

“None of us is innocent in that… Dutch least of all.” They watched the two finally get the docks where a group of men in black suits were sitting by some railing. Charles mutters something bring John’s attention to him.

“Careful.”

“Why?”

“Those are Guido Martelli’s men.”

“Who?”

“He, err, used to work for Angelo Bronte.” Several people winced at Bronte’s name.

“I’ve only been here an hour.”

“Hey, come over here.”

“What now?” Charles questioned.

“Well, you go left, I go right on three. Three!” Both men skidded to the left and right respectively, bullets flying from their guns. Two men went down, blood from their chest. And on the docks of Saint Denis, John and Charles made a scene easily killing the men. Whistles sounded as Charles moved to get his luggage and get to a wagon nearby that John was already settling into the seat.

Swiftly, Charles put his luggage in the back, and grabbed a hold of the reins saying he would drive. With a snap of the reins, the horse surged forward as the pair looked around for police. Lucky, none came before Charles and John could leave the area. There was a brief talk about the Saint Denis police force, and how if they were put in an interrogation room, the two would never get out. Commenting that he didn’t want want into a shoot out, John followed up with hating Saint Denis, and reminding him that he hated the town if he ever wanted to go back. Charles told him that Martelli will happily remind him of that.

A massacre and a bounty later, John was finally ready to set up his new home. Lumber in wagons and on the ground were scattered about as John strolled up to Uncle, a page of paper in his hands. “Those plans make any sense?”

“Oh, sure. Seems easy enough, I think. How hard can it be?” The watch John grab the paper to look at it. “But I’ll tell you what I think, just to be safe.” Uncle picks up the toolbox and hands it to John. “I’ll do the reading and planning, and you’ll do the building.” Another round of groans came from the dead.

“I don’t know if I want to hug Uncle, or punch him,” Sean muttered as John and Uncle continued speaking, oblivious to the dead watching them.

“I know what you mean,” Lenny agree setting his chin on his hand. “He’s had several good points, and yet…” Raising his free hand, Lenny squeezed it as if he was going to choke someone. That someone being Uncle. Charles eventually joined the two.

“Least we haven’t been stuck with yet. I mean, think about all his comments if he was here with us,” Karen piped up making Lenny and Sean shiver. The flame flicked showing the two building the foundation. The image slowly moved forward while the position of Charles and John changed, and the foundation took shape.

“How about we don’t think of Uncle being here,” Lenny grumbled with Sean vigorously nodding. The rest of the dead couldn’t disagree with the two. Slowly, but surely, the image showed some of the instances of the house building. No one missed how Uncle would be sitting down, or even asleep on tables throughout the flickering.

“It’s like watching one of those moving picture shows in a theatre,” Molly breathed as they watch time to seem to jump forward, more and more of the house being built before them.

“It is, isn’t it?” Susan agreed. Hosea, Susan and Arthur shared a smile with each other when they saw more of the house’s frame being put up. “He’s really doing it, isn’t he?”

“Yes, he’s doing what… Dutch...” Hosea breathed, and everyone pretended to ignore how his voice seemed to crack a little, “promised what we were going to do.”

“Yeah,” Arthur agreed sadly, a part of him wishing he could make his father happier. However, one final bang of John’s hammer brought them back to the fire.

Standing, John took a quick glance around him. “And I think that’s everything,” he announced.

“John Marston, you have a home,” Uncle grinned coming closer.

“So do you.”

“I know.”

“And you, Charles. As long as you’ll stay with us.”

“Thank you.”

Grabbing a beer, Uncle raised it. “Gentlemen, to this happy home!” He passed the beer over to John who took a swig. “At least till this fool gets his woman back.” A little while later, they watched John sit down and begin a letter to send to Abigail. A letter of hope she’ll be willing to come back.


End file.
